chopped thai shrimp salad... 20 minutes

the goods:

garlic lime dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

juice from 2 limes

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon honey

2 cloves of garlic

1 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped

1 cup cilantro

1/2 teaspoon salt

salad:

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced

1 pound baby shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 cups spinach, chopped

1 cup carrots, julienned (I buy a bag of pre-cut ones)

2 cups edemame, shelled and cooked

3/4 cup cashews, or slivered almonds, or pepitas (depending on what kind of nut you have lying around)

wonton crisps

To make the dressing: pulse all ingredients except herbs together in a food processor. Add the herbs and pulse a few times just to chop up. Set aside.

Shrimp: Heat a little bit of oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Toss in the garlic and serrano pepper and stir-fry for 1 minutes or until fragrant. Add the shrimp, sprinkle with a little salt and turn up the heat a little bit. Saute for a few minutes until the shrimp is pink and no longer translucent. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

Toss the spinach, carrots, and edamame together. Top with nuts, shrimp, dressing, and wontons.

chicken supreme pasta bake... 35 minutes

I know this doesn't look like much, but it has the flavors of pizza, and my husband actually ate leftovers (that never happens with pasta)!

the goods:

1 pound rotini pasta (or fusilli), cooked according to package instructions
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I took mine off a rotisserie chicken)
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded, and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 and 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet melt butter and saute onion, green bell pepper, and garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook another 2 minutes, Whisk in chicken broth. Stir until it thickens slightly. Whisk in sour cream and add 1 cup cheddar cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Stir until melted. Add cooked pasta, chicken, and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon into a greased baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with oregano. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

crispy honey-chipotle chicken tacos with cilantro lime rice... 45 minutes

I know this list of ingredients is ridiculously long, but I promise it is worth it!

the goods:

3 chicken breasts, sliced into strips

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 eggs, whisked

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press

3 tablespoons ketchup

3 chipotles in adobo sauce, pureed in a food processor until smooth

2 tablespoons hot sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 cup rice, cooked according to package instructions

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon lime zest

ranch dressing (I use homemade) for drizzling

flour tortillas, warm

cilantro leaves, for garnish

lime wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

In another shallow bowl, add the eggs.

In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko and plain bread crumbs.

Taking each chicken strip, dredge in the flour, then place in the egg and turn to coat, let any excess drip off. Then transfer to the bread crumb mixture, evenly coat and press to adhere. Place the chicken strips on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the chicken strips and bake 8-10 minutes on each side or until chicken has cooked through and is crispy. Remove from oven.

While chicken is baking, prepare the sauce: In a large saucepan combine the honey, brown sugar, garlic, ketchup, pureed chipotles, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, and a dash of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, whisking throughout. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch has dissolved. Add it to the saucepan, continuing to whisk until the sauce has thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Submerge each chicken strip into the sauce, and place on a plate.

Combine cooked rice with cilantro, lime juice, lime zest and a dash of salt and pepper.

Assemble tacos by layering rice, chicken, drizzle of ranch dressing, squeeze of lime juice (from wedge), and cilantro.

southwestern chopped salad... 20 minutes

the goods:

1 chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

1/3 cup roasted and salted pepitas (or sunflower seeds if you can't find them)

tortilla strips

cilantro leaves

dressing:

1 avocado, peeled and pitted

1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and ribs removed

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup cilantro

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar

juice from 1 lime

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon paprika

couple dashes of hot sauce

Add all the dressing ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator.

Preheat and lightly oil grill. Season chicken breast with chili powder and grill for 3 minutes on each side until cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. Chop up chicken breast and add to salad. Top with tortilla strips and cilantro leaves. Serve with dressing.

gnocchi with spinach and chicken... 30 minutes

the goods:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 and 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces thinly sliced mushrooms

1 shredded rotisserie chicken

1 package fresh potato gnocchi

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 3 minutes until smooth and roux is formed. Whisk in milk and chicken broth until incorporated. Simmer and whisk constantly until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Whisk in nutmeg, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
Add shredded chicken, mushrooms, gnocchi, and spinach to mixture. Stir gently until well coated, 30 seconds. Sprinkle parmesan evenly over the top and bake for 15-20 minutes.

chili-lime fish tacos... 35 minutes

the goods:

1 pound tilapia

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons honey

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper

slaw:

2 cups shredded red cabbage

2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 ripe mango peeled, pitted, and diced

1 avocado peeled, pitted, and diced

8 small flour or corn tortillas

cilantro leaves for garnish

Place fish in a large zip-top bag and add olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Seal bag and massage seasoning into fish. Let marinate 20 minutes.
Prepare slaw: In a medium bowl combine cabbage, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate.
Preheat and oil grill. Remove fish from marinade and place onto hot grill. Grill fish for 3-5 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate. Warm tortillas (either on grill, or wrapped in moist paper towels in the microwave). Divide fish into warm tortillas and top with slaw, mango, avocado, and cilantro.

grilled chicken burgers with guacamole... 25 minutes

the goods:

2 pounds ground chicken breasts

1 egg, room temperature

1 serrano chili, stemmed, seeded, and minced

1 red bell pepper, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

olive oil

4 large buns, split, buttered, and toasted

guacamole

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken and egg, using your hands (clean hopefully) to blend. Add the serrano, bell pepper, shallot, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Mix well to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high and lightly oil. Form the chicken mixture into 4 equal patties, pat them as thin as possible (they will shrink and thicken during cooking). Brush both sides of each patty with oil. Place the burgers on the grill pan and cook for 6 minutes on each side. Place burgers on toasted buns, top with guacamole and serve immediately.

southwestern chopped salad... 20 minutes

the goods:

1 chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness

large head of romaine lettuce, finely chopped

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 orange bell pepper, finely chopped

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

dressing:

1 cup cilantro leaves, stems removed (I just grab a big handful)

1/2 avocado

fresh lime juice from 1/2 a lime

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup olive oil

1 and 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

barbecue sauce for serving

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and grill over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through.

To make the dressing, puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine, or create your own salad bar (my husband prefers this method so he can control how much he gets of each item). Top with dressing and drizzle with barbecue sauce.

slow-cooker ranch chicken sandwiches... 6 hours

the goods:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 blocks (8 ounces each) cream cheese

2 packets (1 ounce each) dry ranch seasoning

1 package bacon, cooked

buns, for serving

In a slow cooker combine chicken, cream cheese, and ranch seasoning. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks while stirring to combine all ingredients. Serve on buns topped with cooked bacon.

BBQ chicken salad... 15 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped

1 roma tomato, diced

1 can corn kernels, drained

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

homemade ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, tortilla strips, and

chopped chives, for serving

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-sized pieces. I like to set up a salad bar and let everyone add what they want, or you can toss it all together in a bowl!

tortellini with sun-dried tomato and spinach... 25 minutes

the goods:

3-4 slices bacon

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion

1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, divided

1-2 packages (depending on how many you are feeding) of fresh cheese tortellini

3 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Cook bacon in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until just barely crispy. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Add onion and garlic to hot bacon grease and cook, stirring 2-3 minutes. When onion is tender, add in chicken broth and 1 cup milk. Heat until just barely boiling. Add in tortellini, stir, and place a lid on it. Set timer for 10 minutes. While it's cooking, combine 2 tablespoons milk with cornstarch in a small bowl, stir with a fork until smooth. When timer beeps, remove lid and stir in cornstarch mixture. Add spinach, tomatoes, and lemon juice and stir to combine. Cook for a couple more minutes until spinach wilts and sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with parmesan and crumbled bacon slices.