foster farms Archives | Mama Harris' Kitchen

One Pot Chicken Veggie Spaghetti

October 24, 2016 by MamaHarris 22 Comments

One meal in my house that I make more than any other meal is spaghetti. It’s a universal favorite; my kids love it because it’s tasty and fun and my husband loves it because he’s a creature of comfort. I love it because I know that my family will devour it and ask for more, and it’s easy to make! However, instead of preparing the good ol’ classic spaghetti I’ve decided to switch things up a bit with this classic comfort food. While I do love tradition, sometimes I prefer to make some changes and create a more modern spin on a traditional recipe. Making the spaghetti with chicken or even foregoing the red sauce completely for one of my own creation. Not to worry, there’s still tomatoes and plenty of flavor! For this sponsored post I’ll be using the Foster Farms Simply Raised thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breast fillets for my one pot chicken veggie spaghetti recipe.

This recipe has plenty of fresh ingredients, tons of flavor, and even a little surprising kick of spice. The chicken is seasoned with a few of my favorite spices, or what I like to call my secret arsenal. Lemon pepper, smoked paprika, garlic + salt with some dried herbs. This is a flavor profile I truly love, and this is the comforting and familiar taste that my family loves. Due to the fresh ingredients and lemon flavors this would be a great summer meal, but it’s hearty and comforting enough for the colder months as well. Since this is a modern spin on a comfort food classic, I chose to use vegetable spaghetti for this dish and mozzarella cheese as a garnish since it’s naturally lower in fat than other cheese varieties.

The chicken is the star of the show here. It’s on prominent display in this dish and I chose to use Foster Farms Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets. Foster Farms Simply Raised is locally grown on the West Coast with no antibiotics ever and 100 percent vegetarian fed. It’s the perfect foundation for your New Comfort Food meals. In fact, Foster Farms recently commissioned a national consumer survey to learn more about what people are looking for in their New Comfort Food dishes. What they found is that Americans’ idea of comfort food is moving away from rich and heavy, traditional comfort foods, and toward recipes that are both easier and healthier to make and that include locally farmed, fresh ingredients. What’s even more interesting is that 80% of Americans are turning to chicken as a staple for their comfort food meals and are prioritizing chicken raised with no antibiotics, hormones or steroids. Also, 68% of those surveyed are a lot more concerned than their mother was about what goes into the food they are feeding their families; millennial parents even more so (75%). More than 80% even said that they choose healthier recipes plus more fruits and veggies in their comfort food meals.

Does this mean that traditional comfort foods are a thing of the past? Not necessarily, but there is a change in the ingredients people are choosing. Many, like me, love to incorporate colorful and fresh ingredients into classic meals. The New Comfort Food has evolved from the traditionally heavy and rich foods to feel-good meals that feature local, fresh and premium quality ingredients, produced with no antibiotics ever. The New Comfort Food is no longer an indulgence, but an everyday occasion – it’s a more healthful way of eating.

One Pot Chicken Veggie Spaghetti Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter
juice from 1 lemon, divided
1 1/2 lb Foster Farms Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
3/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1 small onion, cut into strips
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 cups red and orange grape tomatoes, halved
7 basil leaves, shredded
1/2 cup spinach, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 oz (boxed) vegetable spaghetti
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Begin by heating 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in the pot you will be making your spaghetti in over medium heat. Squeeze half a lemon into the oil and butter as it melts. Trim any fat from the chicken, if needed, then season with the lemon pepper, Himalayan salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano and parsley. Once the oil and butter have melted, add the seasoned chicken to the pot and cook each side, about 5 minutes each until the chicken is golden.

Remove the chicken from heat, place on a plate and cover with foil.

Add the remaining olive oil in the pan and lightly saute the onions, garlic, tomatoes, basil and spinach until the onions begin to turn translucent and the basil and spinach begin to wilt.

Add the vegetable spaghetti noodles and the chicken broth, along with the remaining lemon juice and the salt and red pepper flakes. Raise heat just a bit and bring to a boil, stirring every few minutes. Allow the noodles to soften and the liquid to absorb and thicken, but you don’t want to cook it until the liquid is gone.

Once the spaghetti is almost done, remove the foil from the chicken and slice into small strips.

Serve the spaghetti in a bowl, top with the chicken, add a bit of mozzarella and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!

One Pot Chicken Veggie Spaghetti

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

One Pot Chicken Veggie Spaghetti

Dinner is ready in a flash with this one pot chicken veggie spaghetti that's fresh, flavorful, hearty and comforting. The perfect meal year round!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter
juice from 1 lemon, divided
1 1/2 lb Foster Farms Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
3/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1 small onion, cut into strips
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 cups red and orange grape tomatoes, halved
7 basil leaves, shredded
1/2 cup spinach, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 oz (boxed) vegetable spaghetti
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Begin by heating 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in the pot you will be making your spaghetti in over medium heat.
Squeeze half a lemon into the oil and butter as it melts. Trim any fat from the chicken, if needed, then season with the lemon pepper, Himalayan salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano and parsley.
Once the oil and butter have melted, add the seasoned chicken to the pot and cook each side, about 5 minutes each until the chicken is golden.
Remove the chicken from heat, place on a plate and cover with foil.
Add the remaining olive oil in the pan and lightly saute the onions, garlic, tomatoes, basil and spinach until the onions begin to turn translucent and the basil and spinach begin to wilt.
Add the vegetable spaghetti noodles and the chicken broth, along with the remaining lemon juice and the salt and red pepper flakes. Raise heat just a bit and bring to a boil, stirring every few minutes. Allow the noodles to soften and the liquid to absorb and thicken, but you don't want to cook it until the liquid is gone.
Once the spaghetti is almost done, remove the foil from the chicken and slice into small strips.
Serve the spaghetti in a bowl, top with the chicken, add a bit of mozzarella and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/10/one-pot-chicken-veggie-spaghetti/

What’s your favorite comfort food to recreate with New Comfort Food type of options?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Foster Farms Simply Raised Chicken.

Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Wrap with Sweet Potato Fries

October 17, 2016 by MamaHarris 9 Comments

I love to recreate recipes that are childhood favorites. Most of the kids I know love chicken strips (or nuggets) and fries. It’s inevitable! When I was a kid it was also a favorite for me, and I actually know grown adults who will just order chicken strips and fries at every new restaurant they go to. It’s just one of those meals that’s easy and comforting, so I decided to spruce it up a bit! For this sponsored post I’ll be using the Foster Farms Simply Raised thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breast fillets for my honey mustard crispy chicken wrap recipe that I’m serving with sweet potato fries.

The main ingredient for this recipe is the chicken strips. They had to be tasty and juicy, with breading that’s anything but soggy. Since today’s New Comfort Food is all about fresh and locally grown ingredients and healthier techniques, I’ll be baking the chicken strips and adding tons of color to this meal by putting the chicken in a wrap with fresh veggies and a homemade honey mustard sauce. I was inspired by Foster Farms’ Never Fried Chicken Sandwich that uses baked and breaded chicken, served with a delicious kick and lots of colorful veggies. It’s sort of everything I would want in a sandwich, since colorful meals make me ridiculously giddy.

I also used Foster Farms Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets. It’s a premium ingredient that I not only feel great about eating but also feel great feeding to my family. Foster Farms Simply Raised line of chicken products are locally grown right here on the West Coast with no antibiotics ever and are 100% vegetarian fed. This chicken is a great start to all of your New Comfort Food meals!

The key to a good baked and breaded chicken is to toast your bread crumbs. I prefer using Panko bread crumbs because they’re naturally crispier and they provide such a great texture. Season up the buttermilk and let the chicken soak up all of that goodness, then roll it around in some toasted Panko crumbs and sprinkle with some crushed almonds. The result is a tasty, juicy chicken strip that’s crunchy and golden – the perfect star for my colorful wrap!

To me, comfort food first and foremost has to taste good. Seasoned to perfection, melt in your mouth flavor, and visually appealing – that’s what comfort food is all about. This crispy chicken wrap takes a traditional go-to meal of chicken strips and fries to another level by literally wrapping it up in colorful veggies and using a delicious alternative for traditional fries. The sweet potato fries are also baked, instead of fried, and they naturally have such a wonderful flavor. That bit of sweetness is really brought out by using grapeseed oil with a touch of olive oil to bake the fries at a higher heat, and they’re just lightly seasoned with some of my favorite flavors. The honey mustard sauce finishes it all off with a perfectly sweet flavor and a crisp tang that just balances it all so well. The finished product is colorful and tasty, and I feel fabulous feeding my family a meal like this for lunch or even a light dinner. That’s what The New Comfort Food is about to me!

Ingredients for Crispy Baked Chicken Strips:

1 1/2 cups lowfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 lb Foster Farms Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets, cut in half lengthwise
2 cups toasted panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped almonds
olive oil spray

Ingredients for Honey Mustard Dressing:

1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of salt

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Fries:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into fry shapes
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pink Himalayan sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Ingredients for Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Wrap:

1 Sun-Dried Tomato flavored wrap
2-3 butter lettuce leaves
2 tomato slices, halved
1-2 crispy chicken strips (recipe above)
1/4 cup carrot strips
2-3 tablespoons honey mustard sauce (recipe above)

Directions:

Begin by making the chicken strips. Spread the Panko breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and spray lightly with a cooking spray. Toast them in the oven for about 3-5 minutes at 400 degrees. Keep the oven on, you’re going to need it for the chicken too! In a medium dish, combine the buttermilk, flour, Dijon mustard, paprika, salt, garlic powder, lemon pepper and dried basil. Mix the ingredients, then place the chicken in the dish, making sure it’s completely covered in the seasoned buttermilk. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes or so, then it’s time to begin!

Take each strip out of the buttermilk and coat it on the pan in the Panko bread crumbs.

Then place on a baking sheet lined with foil, sprayed with cooking spray (I used Olive Oil spray). Repeat for each chicken strip, then sprinkle the tops with crushed almonds and spray the top of the chicken strips with a light coat of the cooking spray. Bake 13-15 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, combine all of the ingredients for the honey mustard sauce in a bowl. Stir well until smooth and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the sweet potato fries. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut lengthwise into strips in the shape of fries. Add them to a dish and drizzle with grapeseed oil and a bit of olive oil. Mix them up so the oil is over all of the fries, then season them up.

Line another baking sheet with foil, and lay all of the fries out individually, adding more seasonings if needed. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then flip over the fries and bake another 8-10 minutes.

While the fries are baking, start preparing each wrap by laying out the tortilla wrap and add the lettuce and tomato. Top with 1-2 chicken strips.

Add a bit of carrots, then drizzle with the honey mustard sauce.

Roll it up, cut it in half, then serve with the sweet potato fries and honey mustard sauce.

Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Wrap with Sweet Potato Fries

Fresh ingredients, colorful veggies, easy recipe! Honey Mustard Baked Crispy Chicken Wrap with Baked Sweet Potato Fries are my kind of New Comfort Food.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Crispy Baked Chicken Strips:

1 1/2 cups lowfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 lb Foster Farms Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets, cut in half lengthwise
2 cups toasted panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped almonds
olive oil spray

Ingredients for Honey Mustard Dressing:

1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of salt

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Fries:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into fry shapes
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pink Himalayan sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Ingredients for Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Wrap:

1 Sun-Dried Tomato flavored wrap
2-3 butter lettuce leaves
2 tomato slices, halved
1-2 crispy chicken strips (recipe above)
1/4 cup carrot strips
2-3 tablespoons honey mustard sauce (recipe above)

Instructions

Begin by making the chicken strips.
Spread the Panko breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and spray lightly with a cooking spray.
Toast them in the oven for about 3-5 minutes at 400 degrees. Keep the oven on, you're going to need it for the chicken too!
In a medium dish, combine the buttermilk, flour, Dijon mustard, paprika, salt, garlic powder, lemon pepper and dried basil.
Mix the ingredients, then place the chicken in the dish, making sure it's completely covered in the seasoned buttermilk.
Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes or so, then it's time to begin!
Take each strip out of the buttermilk and coat it on the pan in the Panko bread crumbs.
Then place on a baking sheet lined with foil, sprayed with cooking spray (I used Olive Oil spray). Repeat for each chicken strip, then sprinkle the tops with crushed almonds and spray the top of the chicken strips with a light coat of the cooking spray. Bake 13-15 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, combine all of the ingredients for the honey mustard sauce in a bowl. Stir well until smooth and refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the sweet potato fries. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut lengthwise into strips in the shape of fries.
Add them to a dish and drizzle with grapeseed oil and a bit of olive oil.
Mix them up so the oil is over all of the fries, then season them up.
Line another baking sheet with foil, and lay all of the fries out individually, adding more seasonings if needed.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then flip over the fries and bake another 8-10 minutes.
While the fries are baking, start preparing each wrap by laying out the tortilla wrap and add the lettuce and tomato.
Top with 1-2 chicken strips.
Add a bit of carrots, then drizzle with the honey mustard sauce.
Roll it up, cut it in half, then serve with the sweet potato fries and honey mustard sauce.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/10/honey-mustard-crispy-chicken-wrap-sweet-potato-fries/

Do you have a favorite meal from childhood that you’ve spruced up?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Foster Farms Simply Raised Chicken.

Sheet Pan Dinner: Chicken, Asparagus, Mushroom and Tomatoes

September 6, 2016 by MamaHarris 19 Comments

Today we’re going to chat about some good ol’ comfort foods. These are the meals you might have grown up with that make you feel good inside. These might be recipes you grew up eating or even things you make that just make you feel warm inside. Recently my husband and I attended an event in San Francisco that celebrated the New Comfort Food and discussed how comfort foods have changed and evolved over the years. It was a fascinating look into culinary trends and I found myself nodding in agreement based on my own tastes and preferences and what I see in search results for people that find their way to my recipes. This conversational lunch was hosted by Foster Farms, and I’ll be sharing the details on that lunch and what I learned. For this sponsored post I’ll be using the Foster Farms Simply Raised boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets for my Sheet Pan Dinner with Chicken, Asparagus, Mushroom and Tomatoes recipe.

So, what does comfort food mean to you? For me, it’s food that brings me great memories like my mom’s chile relleno casserole or my dad’s many different soups. It might even be a simple memory like how every time I would go to my aunt’s house, I would always go straight to her kitchen table to eat a bowl full of strawberries that were freshly picked locally so they were huge and deliciously sweet. Or how my mom and I would always enjoy half an avocado to ourselves in the kitchen with a spoon, happily devouring it. Of course, it may not just be childhood memories. My husband’s grandmother would make a delicious cherry cobbler and my mother-in-law makes a great potato salad that I covet.

I have created my own dishes that have become my own family’s comfort food. For instance, my oldest son spent a lot of his summer in Southern California and he was so homesick for my food. My husband travels sometimes for work and on one of his most recent trips he was having trouble finding restaurants that serve meals similar to mine. So, to me, comfort food feels like home. Comfort food is love too, it’s food that’s made by loved ones for loved ones. Often times through our lives we experience hard times, and making a meal we grew up eating can just make us feel better. This is evident in my comment section for some of my most popular recipes, like my chicken pot pie or my 7-Up cake. Folks want to recreate those warm and safe feelings.

My traditional views of comfort food usually involve cheese, carbs, creaminess – and tend to be heavy and filling. This would be dishes that have a lot of noodles, like chicken noodle soup, or even a good pan-full of homemade macaroni and cheese or some mashed potatoes and gravy. For me though, I also like to incorporate fresh ingredients and seasonal vegetables as well as locally sourced ingredients. This is what makes the new comfort food. I enjoy knowing where my food has come from so I love to go to the Farmer’s Markets or regional grocery stores that get their produce locally. As my kids have gotten older and my family has grown, I’ve tried to incorporate healthier options into their meals. Lots of colorful, fresh ingredients are important to me, and I like a lot of flavor.

This is all in line with how comfort food has evolved. The New Comfort Food has evolved from those traditionally heavy and rich foods to a more healthy, mindful way of eating. The feel-good meats of today feature local, fresh and premium quality ingredients that are produced with no antibiotics ever. Comfort food is now an everyday occasion instead of an indulgence. Foster Farms has seen that preferences and tastes of the consumer are changing, which is why they now offer Simply Raised chicken. Foster Farms Simply Raised is locally grown right here on the West Coast with no antibiotics ever, and is 100% vegetarian fed. Their meats are a premium ingredient that you can feel great about feeding your family and are the perfect base for your New Comfort Food meals.

For this San Francisco event, lunch was prepared by Chef Dean Rucker who specializes in West Coast cuisine with fresh ingredients. Many of the recipes prepared that day can be found on the Foster Farms New Comfort Food page, along with many other creative and beautiful recipe ideas. I have to say that my favorites for the day were definitely the Chicken and Mushroom Risotto with Swiss Chard and the Roasted Apple Chicken Salad with Hazelnuts. The flavors and texture on both dishes was exceptional without trying too hard, and both dishes were filling and light at the same time. My kind of meals!

Between all of the delicious food that was served and everything we’d discussed, I was so inspired that I wanted to share my own version of the New Comfort Food using Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken. I have this delicious spice blend rub that I came up with and love to use on meats. I instantly knew I had to use that on some boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets. This recipe is fairly easy, as I just trim any fat off the chicken and brush it lightly with some extra virgin olive oil and then rub with the spice blend. I then cover and bake it, removing the cover about halfway through. It’s always moist and delicious with a great kick of flavor from the spices. To offset the bit of heat from the spices I like to serve it with a creamy garlic lemon sauce over rice. This will have your taste buds dancing, but instead of making the sauce with heavy cream I use fat free half & half and then serve over brown rice.

I was able to turn this into a sheet pan dinner by using a large baking sheet and lining it with parchment paper. Then I put fresh seasonal vegetables on one side and the chicken on the other. This makes for a great weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup! Since asparagus takes a bit longer to cook than mushrooms and tomatoes, I just added them first and then added the mushrooms and tomatoes halfway through.

This meal definitely has all of the makings of a hearty comfort food meal, but with a few changes like brown rice, fat free half & half and lots of brightly colored seasonal veggies, it turns into a lighter meal that’s not as heavy.

Ingredients for Seasoned Chicken Thighs:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 – 2 lb Foster Farms Simply Raised Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Fillets

Ingredients for Oven Roasted Asparagus, Mushrooms and Tomatoes:

1 lb asparagus, ends broken off, then cut into half
3 oz baby bella sliced mushrooms
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Ingredients for Creamy Garlic Lemon Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup fat free Half & Half
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
zest + juice of one medium lemon
salt and pepper

Directions:

Begin by combining all the seasonings for the chicken spice rub. Set aside, then trim the chicken thighs into similar sizes, removing any fat if needed. Brush each piece of chicken with olive oil, then rub each side thoroughly with the spice rub. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Carefully place all of the chicken on one half of the paper, then toss the asparagus in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and place those on the other side of the sheet. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 12-15 minutes.

While the chicken and asparagus are baking toss the mushroom and tomatoes in a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Once the chicken and asparagus are almost done, add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the pan on top of the asparagus and bake uncovered for another 12-15 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, melt the butter for the sauce in a medium saucepan. Once melted, slowly whisk in the flour. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, whisking together, then slowly stir in the chicken broth. Add the half and half, Parmesan, basil, lemon zest and lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce to simmer until sauce thickens and reduces just a bit. Remove from heat.

Serve as is, or over some brown and wild rice mixed with a bit of the creamy garlic lemon sauce for a full, flavorful meal.

Drizzle some of the sauce over the chicken (and rice), it perfectly balances the heat of the spice rub on the chicken thighs with smooth and creamy taste of the sauce. Enjoy!

Sheet Pan Dinner: Chicken, Asparagus, Mushroom and Tomatoes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Sheet Pan Dinner: Chicken, Asparagus, Mushroom and Tomatoes

Sheet Pan Dinner with Chicken, Asparagus, Mushroom, Tomatoes, brown rice and skinnier creamy garlic lemon sauce shows how The New Comfort Food has evolved!

Ingredients

Ingredients for Seasoned Chicken Thighs:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 - 2 lb Foster Farms Simply Raised Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Fillets

Ingredients for Oven Roasted Asparagus, Mushrooms and Tomatoes:

1 lb asparagus, ends broken off, then cut into half
3 oz baby bella sliced mushrooms
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Ingredients for Creamy Garlic Lemon Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup fat free Half & Half
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
zest + juice of one medium lemon
salt and pepper

Instructions

Begin by combining all the seasonings for the chicken spice rub.
Set aside, then trim the chicken thighs into similar sizes, removing any fat if needed.
Brush each piece of chicken with olive oil, then rub each side thoroughly with the spice rub. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Carefully place all of the chicken on one half of the paper, then toss the asparagus in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and place those on the other side of the sheet.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 12-15 minutes.
While the chicken and asparagus are baking toss the mushroom and tomatoes in a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.
Once the chicken and asparagus are almost done, add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the pan on top of the asparagus and bake uncovered for another 12-15 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, melt the butter for the sauce in a medium saucepan.
Once melted, slowly whisk in the flour.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, whisking together, then slowly stir in the chicken broth.
Add the half and half, Parmesan, basil, lemon zest and lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce to simmer until sauce thickens and reduces just a bit.
Remove from heat.
Serve as is, or over some brown and wild rice mixed with a bit of the creamy garlic lemon sauce for a full, flavorful meal.
Drizzle some of the sauce over the chicken (and rice), it perfectly balances the heat of the spice rub on the chicken thighs with smooth and creamy taste of the sauce.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/09/sheet-pan-dinner-chicken-asparagus-mushroom-tomatoes/

What’s your favorite comfort food?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Foster Farms Simply Raised Chicken.

BBQ Chicken Sliders

October 30, 2015 by MamaHarris 5 Comments

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LegendaryTailgate #CollectiveBias

I have a confession.

For many, many years I really wasn’t into traditional barbecue type foods. I loved the sides, but eating meats slathered in barbecue sauce just really wasn’t my idea of tasty foods. I’d dined at quite a few places and tried to like it, but to me the meat was always dry and it was like they were covering that up with barbecue sauce. It was not ideal for me at all.

I honestly never really liked barbecue chicken until I met my husband. When we first moved in together we got this little upstairs apartment. We loved this apartment though, because it had this huge covered balcony with screens on it. We’d hang out on that balcony every weekend and we had the tiniest little grill that he would barbecue on every sunday. It was about one or two feet off the ground and it was this little round thing. Now that I think about it, it would be perfect to tailgate with, but this is what we were working with. He’d make boneless chicken breast on this grill, marinade it, season it up, then grill it. Then he’d patiently brush it with his favorite barbecue sauce.

Oh my goodness, it was so good!

The meat was so tender, so juicy. So flavorful! We did this every Sunday and watch whatever game was on, then that evening we’d enjoy our favorite Sunday night shows. It was our favorite way to start the week. I don’t even know if he’s aware that he’s what made me like barbecue chicken.

Now that we’ve grown together, married, moved to a bigger house with a backyard and a nice sized grill, he’s often working his magic out there. But we often reminisce about those old times when we’d huddle around that tiny little grill and create magic. Today I’m showing you some of his secrets to creating a moist and flavorful chicken, this time using thigh meat. This meat is amazing on it’s own, cut up in a sandwich, added to a salad, or even just eaten as is served with some rice and vegetables. However, I’m taking it a step further and creating some delicious BBQ Chicken Sliders that are perfect for game day, you can even make them while you tailgate (just skip the step about baking in the oven – it’s really just to melt the cheese).

I like to use Foster Farms Fresh & Natural Chicken Thigh Meat when I’m making shredded chicken, the thigh meat is a little more tender making it easy to shred for sliders. I love using Foster Farms Fresh & Natural because it’s raised locally right here in California and it’s always fresh, 100% natural, American Humane certified and with no added hormones or steroids.

We also like to use the Stubb’s Chicken Marinade that’s flavored with citrus and onion and Stubb’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce. Not only are these super flavorful, but they are free of high fructose corn syrup and are Certified Gluten Free. Stubb’s does not use artificial preservatives, colors, sweeteners, flavors or MSG. There’s no fancy ingredients, just genuinely good products made with Stubb’s secret ingredients, “Love and Happiness”.

These sliders were amazing! The creamy mayonnaise with a hint of spice paired with the cheese and the chicken were the perfect pairings. The pop of color from the cabbage with that added bit of crisp was perfection. I could eat these for dinner, forget an appetizer! They were even good reheated! Serve with some fun curly fries and baked beans for game day fun!

BBQ Chicken Ingredients:

1.5 lbs Foster Farms Fresh & Natural Chicken Thigh Meat
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon creole seasoning
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 bottle Stubb’s Chicken Marinade
1/2 cup Stubb’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce

BBQ Chicken Sliders Ingredients:

BBQ Chicken (ingredients above), shredded
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
2 pickled jalapenos, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup Stubb’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce
1 package sweet party rolls
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
8 oz monterey jack cheese, sliced
1/2 cup green cabbage, cut into thin shreds
1/2 cup purple cabbage, cut into thin shreds
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt

Directions:

Begin by seasoning each side of the chicken with lemon pepper and Creole seasoning. Place in a dish large enough to hold the chicken with marinade.

Add soy sauce.

Then add the marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours up to 24 hours.

Once you’re ready to grill, bring heat to around 350 degrees on the grill, and place the marinaded chicken over indirect heat on the grill, discarding the marinade.

Grill for about 5-8 minutes each side, then brush with the 1/2 cup of Stubb’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce.

Grill for another 2-3 minutes each side to set the sauce into the chicken.

Remove from heat and let cool. Chicken would be delicious like this, cut up into a chicken salad or served with rice.

Place chicken in a large bowl and shred using two forks.

Add the onions, jalapenos and cilantro, then mix in. Add the 1/4 cup Stubb’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce, stirring to combine it all.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut party rolls in half and place the bottom half on a baking sheet. Mix mayonnaise with spicy brown mustard and spread a layer on the bread.

Carefully spoon BBQ chicken on top.

Then top with the slice of monterey jack cheese.

Mix the cabbage with the vinegars and salt and pepper. Spoon the cabbage mixture on top of the cheese.

Melt the butter, then mix the garlic salt into the butter. Add the tops on the rolls, then brush with the seasoned melted butter. Place in the preheated oven and let cook for 10 minutes.

Cheese will be melted and tops will be browned and toasted.

Add an appetizer stick to the sliders to prevent tops from slipping, then serve.

Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Sliders

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 32 minutes

Total Time: 52 minutes

Yield: Makes about 16 BBQ Chicken Sliders

Serving Size: 2 BBQ Chicken Sliders

BBQ Chicken Sliders

Tender shredded BBQ chicken is the star ingredient for these BBQ Chicken Sliders, add them to your tailgate menu!

Ingredients

BBQ Chicken Ingredients:

1.5 lbs Foster Farms Fresh & Natural Chicken Thigh Meat
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon creole seasoning
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 bottle Stubb’s Chicken Marinade
1/2 cup Stubb’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce

BBQ Chicken Sliders Ingredients:

BBQ Chicken (ingredients above), shredded
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
2 pickled jalapenos, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup Stubb’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce
1 package sweet party rolls
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
8 oz monterey jack cheese, sliced
1/2 cup green cabbage, cut into thin shreds
1/2 cup purple cabbage, cut into thin shreds
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt

Instructions

Begin by seasoning each side of the chicken with lemon pepper and Creole seasoning. Place in a dish large enough to hold the chicken with marinade.
Add soy sauce.
Then add the marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours up to 24 hours.
Once you're ready to grill, bring heat to around 350 degrees on the grill, and place the marinaded chicken over indirect heat on the grill, discarding the marinade.
Grill for about 5-8 minutes each side, then brush with the 1/2 cup of Stubb’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce.
Grill for another 2-3 minutes each side to set the sauce into the chicken.
Remove from heat and let cool. Chicken would be delicious like this, cut up into a chicken salad or served with rice.
Place chicken in a large bowl and shred using two forks.
Add the onions, jalapenos and cilantro, then mix in. Add the 1/4 cup Stubb’s Original Bar-B-Q Sauce, stirring to combine it all.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut party rolls in half and place the bottom half on a baking sheet. Mix mayonnaise with spicy brown mustard and spread a layer on the bread.
Carefully spoon BBQ chicken on top.
Then top with the slice of monterey jack cheese.
Mix the cabbage with the vinegars and salt and pepper. Spoon the cabbage mixture on top of the cheese.
Melt the butter, then mix the garlic salt into the butter. Add the tops on the rolls, then brush with the seasoned melted butter. Place in the preheated oven and let cook for 10 minutes.
Cheese will be melted and tops will be browned and toasted.
Add an appetizer stick to the sliders to prevent tops from slipping, then serve.
Enjoy!

Notes

*prep time and cook time does not include 8-24 hours for marinade.

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/10/bbq-chicken-sliders/

What’s your favorite BBQ food?

Pick up some of your favorite ingredients at your local grocery store, and as an added bonus, you can find an Instant Redeemable Coupon (expires 12/31/15) in store for the chicken and BBQ sauce. I found everything I needed at my local FoodMaxx, there was plenty of chicken in the meat department and I found the sauces in the condiments aisle. Happy grilling!