Chicken Cacciatore

Here's the traditional Italian dish, morphed into a 30 minute meal courtesy of Rachel Ray. Serve over egg noodles or fettucine.

1 to 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
salt and pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 portabello mushroom caps, sliced, or 1 (8 oz.) package sliced mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup beef broth or stock
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, or until done.
2. Remove chicken from the pan and add the red pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are dark and tender. Then stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Simmer sauce for 5 minutes, then add chicken to the pan. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, then serve over pasta and top with Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Chilaquiles

This is just about the only casserole dish my husband will eat. If you love green salsa, this is the casserole for you! I also throw any extra veggies in with the chicken--black beans, corn, red bell pepper, etc. Recipe modified from Cooking Light.

12 (6 inch) corn tortillas, each cut into 8 wedges
1 1/2 cups salsa verde
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbs. cumin
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Cooking spray
2 cups shredded chicken breast (use precooked rotisserie chicken to make it quick)
1 cup Mexican blend cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Arrange half of tortilla wedges on a large baking sheet, overlapping some if necessary. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove the wedges from the pan and repeat the procedure with the remaining tortilla wedges.
3. Combine salsa, green onions, sour cream, cumin, and cilantro, stirring with a whisk. Place half of the tortilla wedges in an 11x7 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top evenly with 1 cup of chicken, about 1 cup of salsa mixture, and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layers with the remaining wedges, chicken, and salsa mixture. Top with the remaining cheese (dish will be very full).
4. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350. Remove casserole from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Bake, covered, at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and the cheese begins to brown.

Chicken Piccata

You could use veal in place of the chicken if you like. Serve over pasta or rice. Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

1 Tbs. olive oil
4 (6 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs. dry white wine or water
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs. capers

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/2 inch thickness using meat mallet or heavy skillet.
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan.
3. Add broth, wine, and lemon juice to the pan; reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Stir in the parsley and capers. Sppon sauce over chicken and serve.

Low Fat Caesar Salad Dressing

Using drained yogurt as the base for the salad dressing makes it taste rich and creamy. If you want a totally authentic taste, you can add a couple of minced anchovies to the dressing. Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

1 cup plain low fat yogurt
1 1/2 Tbs. water
1 1/2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced

1. Place the yogurt in a fine, cheesecloth-lined strainer and place over a bowl. Let drain for at least 1 hour. Using Greek yogurt will make this process go faster.
2. When yogurt has drained, mix with remaining ingredients and combine well. Store refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

I LOVE tortilla soup in any form, but this one gives me a chance to use some of the chipotle chiles in adobo sauce that are always waiting in my freezer. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and avocado. Recipe modified from Cooking Light.

1 Tbs. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3/4 pound chicken breast tenders, but into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp. chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 tsp. cumin
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (14 oz.) can fat free chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and chicken and saute for 2 minutes. Add chile and cumin; stir well.
2. Add water, salt, broth, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Top with tortilla chips and cilantro and serve with lime wedges, sour cream, cheese, and diced avocado.