Chili Verde Chicken Stuffed Shells|Dinner

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I love Mexican food.  It runs through my veins.  Well, I guess it is more like Tex-Mex, but whatever it is, I could eat it at every meal.  I also love me a good pasta dish.  Anything with carbs was sent from heaven to my make my life just a bit brighter.  One night I was wanting Mexican food, but also craving my carbs so I thought why not combine them?  I have made Mexican Stuffed Shells before, but I really wanted something with a white kind of alfredoish sauce so Chili Verde Chicken Stuffed Shells were born.

I started by boiling my jumbo shells in water.  While those were cooking I boiled 4 chicken breasts in water.  When they were finished cooking, I shredded them up really good and added it to a skillet.  To the skillet I added about a 1/4 c of our favorite salsa (which is the Joe T. Garcia brand found at Walmart), 1 block of cream cheese cubed, and 1 can of green chilies.  It is very hearty and the green chilies add such a great flavor.  Once the shells were cooked, I strained them and sprayed them with cold water to cool off.  To a 13X9 baking dish I spread the remaining 1/4c of salsa just so the shells wouldn’t stick.  You could probably also just butter it or spray it with cooking spray.  I then stuffed the shells with the filling mixture until all shells were stuffed.  I placed them in the 13X9 baking dish and got to work on my blanco sauce.

For the Blanco sauce I started by melting half a stick of butter in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Once that was melted a can of green chilies and stirred for about one minute or until it stared to thicken a little.  Once the sauce was starting to simmer and thicken, I added about 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream.  I reduced the heat to medium and stirred it occasionally until it started boiling.  While that was cooking I shredded up about 1 c of pepper jack cheese and cut up about 8 slices of White American Cheese.  When the sauce mixture started boiling, I added my pepper jack and White American Cheese.  Let that cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the cheese is melted which is about 7-10 minutes.  Once the sauce was done, I smothered the stuffed shells with it.  I then covered the top with mozzarella cheese and placed it in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.  Really it was just until the cheese had started to melt and barely turn brown on top.

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I am really horrible at taking pictures of my recipes and creations.  I normally don’t think about it until I am finished and by then it is absolutely too late, but the recipe is delicious.  My husband loved it.  Heck even my two year old loved it!  The pepper jack cheese adds a good spice to it.  I didn’t add a ton of pepper jack because I really didn’t want it to be too spicy for Reagan, but if you like spice then I would say definitely add more pepper jack.  You most definitely will NOT be disappointed in this dish if you make it.  So good!!!

One Pan Skillet Chicken Fajitas|Dinner

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Last night I made a very delicious dinner.  I had a doctors appointment after work, and I didn’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen.  I love cooking, but after a long day of work I wanted something fast.  Some of you may ask, “Well, Briana, why didn’t you just bring something home”?  Well, my lovelies, the answer to that question would be because I live in the middle of freaking nowhere.  So alas, I must cook.

Now, I love a good crock pot meal or casserole, but every once in awhile I like to do a skillet meal.  This recipe is great because it only requires one skillet! If you are like me then I know you loathe doing dishes so this meal is already piquing your interest.  It also requires  only a few ingredients!  It is fast and easy and it packs a big flavor.

Those of you who know me know that I am a sucker for some good Mexican food.  Authentic, tex-mex, you name it I love it.  This recipe falls more on the tex-mex side, but it is oh so very delicious.  I didn’t even think about posting it until after it was simmering on the stove top so please forgive the fact that there aren’t any pictures.  I do so solemnly promise to post pictures in the future of each step I take.

So, for the ingredients you want chicken breasts (I just use the Walmart or HEB frozen chicken breasts).  I defrosted them in the microwave on a defrost setting and then trimmed any of the fat off of them.  Now I made this meal for Drew, Reagan, and myself so we had enough leftovers for lunch, but if you are making it for a larger crowd I would increase your amount of chicken.   I used 3 large chicken breasts.  You also want olive oil, bell peppers (Now you can get creative here.  I used one red and one green pepper.  You could also use a yellow or orange pepper.)  You can also use an onion if you so desire.  My husband doesn’t like onion so it makes cooking very difficult, but he literally won’t eat it if he can taste an onion.  Yes…it’s annoying.  Moving on.  You also need taco seasoning of your preference, your favorite salsa, corn or flour tortillas, and whatever fixin’s you like on your fajitas (guacamole, sour cream, cheese, refried beans, etc.).

While you are cutting of the fat of the chicken heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet.  Once it is heated, throw in your chicken.  I like to let my chicken cook down a bit.  Any of the excess fat that I wasn’t able to cut off kind of cooks off.  Once you have your chicken cooking good (by good I mean you want some of the oil to be cooking down and the chicken to start to saute instead of just boil in the oil and excess water), add in your bell peppers (and onions).  While those cook in with your chicken, measure out your salsa so it is easy to add.

Once the chicken is cooked through and the bell peppers are soft, add your packet of taco seasoning (about 2 tablespoons), your salsa (about 1/2 – 1 cup), and 1/2c water.  Mix everything together and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.  You want most of the water to have evaporated and you want the salsa and taco seasoning to have thickened a little.  The meat is that easy!

Take your corn or flour tortilla add your beans, chicken, peppers, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole.  Serve it with some rice, beans, or chips and salsa and enjoy!  You could also just eat the meat like Reagan does.  She loved it!  I will tell you, it is a little on the spicier side depending on the brand of taco seasoning that you use so use caution when serving to little ones.  Excuse how terrible the picture is.  I am still working on my photography skills!  I promise it is very delicious.

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One Pan Skillet Chicken Fajitas

3-4 Chicken breasts

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

2-3 Bell Peppers (your color preference)

Onion

A packet of taco seasoning

1/2-1 cup of your favorite salsa

1/2 cup water

 

Heat your olive oil in a skillet.  While it is heating, cut off the fat from your chicken breasts and discard it.  Once the oil is heated, add your chicken.  When the chicken is starting to cook through and some of the oil has cooked down, add your bell peppers and onion.  When your chicken is cooked through and the bell peppers are soft, add your taco seasoning, salsa, and water.  Mix everything up and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.  You want most of the water to have evaporated and the sauce will have thicken a little.  Serve in a corn or flour tortilla with sour cream, cheese, beans, and guacamole.  Enjoy!  It is also delicious with some rice or chips and salsa on the side.