Puff Pastry Creamy Chicken Pot Pie

If you’re a sucker for Chicken Pot Pie, this recipe is one that you must try. Store-bought puff pastry dough stands in for traditional pie crust here. And, it’s nothing short of magical. I’ve made pot pie with puff pastry in the past, but simply laid the giant piece of dough across the top of the baking dish. While that was good, I really like cutting the dough into small squares, then layering them up on top of the filling. Yes, the result is prettier – in my opinion – but, more importantly, I just love all of those flaky nooks and crannies that are created.

The recipe starts with gently cooking onions, celery and carrots in butter, then sprinkling in a little flour. This is the base of the gravy that will be created. After stirring in milk and a little heavy cream, the sauce gets flavored with bouillon, a pinch of Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper. A handful of frozen peas and tender, cooked chicken are added to the party before the gravy gets transferred to a baking dish. Store-bought puff pastry that has been cut into cute, little squares gets haphazardly layered on top, then into the oven it all goes.

NOTE:  The recipe calls for a couple of cups of cooked chicken. A store-bought rotisserie chicken can be a great time-saver. Just remove the meat, then either shred or cube per your preference. To prepare the chicken at home, I simply roast two boneless and skinless chicken breasts - coated in a little olive oil, salt and pepper - for 30 - 40 minutes {or until fully cooked through} in a 400-degree oven.

 

Yields 4 servings.

 

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Chicken Tikka Masala Over Basmati Rice

I have to admit that Indian cuisine is pretty new to me. I have tried it while out at a few restaurants throughout the years. Some dishes impressed me more than others. One that I enjoyed in particular was Chicken Tikka Masala. I recently started testing some recipes at home for this rich, earthy Indian dish. If you're not familiar with it, Chicken Tikka Masala often begins with chicken that is marinated in yogurt and spices, then cooked in a tandoor oven. The chicken is then combined with ingredients like, tomato sauce, garlic, ginger and coconut milk/cream. And, it's usually served with basmati rice.

Since I do not own a tandoor oven (and I'm pretty sure that most of you don't either), I decided to simplify the recipe using one large pot right on the stove top. My recipe begins by slightly cooking chunks of boneless chicken in a little oil. Next, some onions, garlic and ginger get stirred in. I, then, add the spices in so that they get a chance to slightly toast in the oil prior to proceeding with the recipe. I like the inclusion of chickpeas, but this is completely optional. Tomato puree is added as the chicken finishes cooking. The mixture gets finished with some heavy cream, plain yogurt or full-fat coconut milk. (Any of the three worked well in my testing of this recipe, but I did prefer using the coconut milk.)

Serve this vibrant, beautiful chicken over a bed of basmati rice (easily found in the rice section of most supermarkets these days) and garnish with fresh cilantro. (I prefer everything doused with a squeeze of lemon, too.)

Serving this with naan bread (an Indian flatbread found pretty easily in the bakery section at your supermarket) is almost a requirement. The bread is used to scoop up the chicken and to dip into the sauce as you make your way through this outstanding dish.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have made several versions of Tikka Masala as I have researched the dish and recipe tested during the development of this recipe. I had success converting this to a vegetarian dish solely using canned, drained chickpeas or with using cubed, roasted butternut squash. So, there is some leeway in the recipe if you'd like to make it a vegetarian one. I have, also, read that cauliflower florets can be a good substitute for meat in this dish.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup {Olive Garden Style}

This is a hearty, comforting soup laden with pillow-y potato gnocchi, tender chunks of chicken, fresh spinach and shredded carrots. The broth is rich, creamy and ultra decadent.  This recipe is based off of a popular soup at Olive Garden. Making it at home is simple and satisfying. {Plus, you'll probably end up with leftovers ... and that's always a good thing when it comes to soup.}

If you're not familiar with gnocchi, they are Italian-style mini dumplings made from cooked potatoes and flour. You can find a plethora of recipes online if you'd like to make you own, but pre-made gnocchi are easily found in most grocery stores these days. Buying them ready-to-use is a total timesaver and there are some pretty good quality ones out there from which to choose.

Typically, packages of gnocchi can be located in the dry pasta aisle. But, gnocchi can sometimes be found frozen and even fresh at specialty markets.

In my household, we prefer this soup pretty thick. If you find that you'd like it a bit thinner, just stir in some additional chicken broth {or even hot water} at the end of cooking.

Serves 6 - 8.

Chicken and Biscuits Casserole {No Canned Soups}

There's little more comforting than homemade Chicken and Dumplings. This recipe is a slight twist on the classic version. The recipe begins with a couple of chicken breasts simmered until tender in a rich, savory broth. Next, the broth is thickened with a cornstarch slurry and a splash of heavy cream. Then, instead of dropping biscuit dough into the thick, steamy broth to cook on the stove top, the chicken and "gravy" is loaded into a casserole dish, topped with half-moons of buttermilk biscuits and popped into the oven to bake to golden, bubbly bliss.

The result is the familiar flavors present in classic Chicken and Dumplings, of course, But, the biscuits are taken to new heights due to the browning on top of the casserole. The bottoms of the biscuits bake up - moist and soft - submerged in bubbling gravy while the tops of the biscuits puff up to golden, magical perfection.

Serves 4 - 6.

Chili Lime Chicken Taco Salad

Summertime means lots of salads in the Joyously Domestic household. We eat salad quite regularly as our full meal when temps get up in the eighties and nineties this time of year. Some of our favorites are my Berry "Peachy Keen" Grilled Chicken Salad Bowl, my Easy Vegetarian Taco Salad, my Moroccan Quinoa and Bulgur Salad and my Mexicali Loaded Salad Bowl with Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing . I always buy a plethora of fresh produce each week and like to keep the ingredients for many of my go-to salads on hand. So, it's a breeze to whip up quick, light meals for us on busy weeknights ... or when we're being lazy on the weekends and don't want to put much effort into dinner.

This particular salad includes some killer grilled chicken that has real amped up flavor. I like that a couple of chicken breasts stretch to feed several people, so it's a pretty inexpensive salad to toss together. For this salad, I like old-school iceberg lettuce for the base. I, then, arrange the taco salad toppings that my family prefers on top. We serve this with fresh-cut avocado, lots of sour cream and hot sauce alongside. And, don't forget the nacho, corn or tortilla chips ... they are the cat's meow, so-to-speak, crushed atop the salad at time of service.

Simple. Flavorful. Inexpensive. A perfectly refreshing, healthful and bountiful salad for those nights when you don't want anything too heavy for dinner, yet something delicious and satisfying is in order.

Chicken and Lighter-Than-Air Drop Dumplings

It's that time of the year when much of the country is wet, cold and dreary. We often look to the comfort foods of our childhood on these chilly days. For me, one special dish during winter that I crave is chicken and dumplings. And, even though I do make a few different versions, I always seem to revert back to the classic recipe that I grew up with when I crave the "real deal."

Made on the stove in a big pot.

Hoards of shredded, tender chicken.

Luxurious, but simple "gravy" made with homemade chicken stock.

And, from-scratch dumplings that almost melt in my mouth.

Those are the components of on-point chicken and dumplings in my book. A labor of love. Childhood comfort food at its finest. The ideal weekend dinner on a brisk winter's day. Served with buttery mashed potatoes ... best comfort food ever.

Serves 4 - 6.

Mexicali Loaded Salad Bowl with Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing

I am a sucker for loaded salads in the summer. I especially dig salads that are substantial and filling enough to stand alone as a meal. This Mexicali Loaded Salad Bowl is one of those salads.

I love that loaded salads are usually a pretty economical choice as a summer meal option ... one or two chicken breasts, for example, can be stretched in a salad such as this one to feed like, four people. And, although the ingredient list may appear to be a little long, everything is super inexpensive and many are items we tend to have on hand.

This salad starts with a base of crisp iceberg lettuce. Then, ingredients like, seasoned grilled chicken, brown rice, crispy tortilla strips, grilled corn and beans are simply arranged atop the lettuce in a large serving bowl in whatever manner you desire. This monster of a salad then gets served with a creamy avocado dressing and lots of lime wedges. It's a salad that's bursting at the seams with flavor and is laden to the hilt with amazing textures. It's the perfect combo of fresh veggies, tender bites of chicken, citrus zip, a touch of heat and a whole bunch of deliciousness.

Pair with a cold beer and you've got yourself one winner of a summer salad.

Serves 4.

Berry "Peachy Keen" Grilled Chicken Salad Bowl

I've been on a bit of a salad bowl kick as of late. I've made my Asian slaw version many times over this summer. And, I'm still loving my quinoa salad bowl - made with juicy citrus and a lemon poppy seed vinaigrette - that I shared last year with you. This past week, I recipe tested this Berry "Peachy Keen" Grilled Chicken Salad Bowl much to the delight of my children. (I swear they were ready with forks drawn before I could even shoot the photos for this post since the salad includes grilled chicken, strawberries and peaches - a few of their most favorite things to eat during the summer.)

I really love salads made in this fashion. I like how the ingredients are arranged in rows and/or fanned out in a purposeful manner. I always find that beautifully presented food is simply more appealing. (We eat with our eyes first, right?) Secondly, one can easily double or even triple the ingredients to serve a larger crowd, as needed, when making salad bowls. (Individuals bowls for each person can even be made instead of one large bowl, too.)

Best of all, I find that making up a big salad bowl like this is pretty economical compared to say, grilling a big chicken breast for each person to be served with a couple of sides. Instead, everything is right here - the perfect all-in-one meal during the warm summer months. One or two chicken breasts - once sliced or cubed up - go a long way towards serving several people when combined in a large salad with various other ingredients such as this.

Fresh, colorful, healthful, vibrant and simple to prepare ... I urge you to try a salad bowl such as this one this summer.

Serves 2 -3.

One-Skillet Chicken & Rice Burrito Filling

My husband, Steve, and twelve-year old son, Zayne, are burrito fanatics. So, this recipe suits them well. What I find both fascinating and glorious about this recipe is that all of the components that one would typically find in a loaded burrito come together in one pan. You don't have to cook the meat, rice and beans separately. It's all cooked in one skillet - along with a magnificent blending of spices, onions, corn, tomatoes and herbs. Score. This recipe comes together easily and is perfect for a busy weeknight. And, the leftovers are fabulous the next day.

Although this recipe is written as a burrito filling, the mixture is great as a filling for quesadillas or for serving over slightly crushed tortilla (or corn) chips, as well. If using as a burrito filling, you can simply warm up your large, soft tortilla shells, load them up with the filling, roll 'em up and eat as-is. Or, you can pan-fry them or bake them (brush them with a little oil first) after rolling. (We're partial to frying them.)

Once I spoon the filling onto the tortilla, I like to sprinkle on some chopped red onion, lots of extra cilantro and chopped avocado before rolling them up. Dipped in sour cream, these babies are scrumptious.

NOTE: If you like things spicy, you can add in some chopped hot peppers to the filling mixture as it is cooking.

Sonoma Chicken Salad {A Whole Foods Copycat Recipe}

I recently fell in love with the Sonoma Chicken Salad from the deli at Whole Foods. I brought a container of it home - along with a round loaf of their sourdough bread - and was so sad when I finished up my last sandwich. I have been craving it ever since - big time.

My nearest Whole Foods is well over an hour away, so I don't get there as often as I'd like. In an attempt to satisfy my yearning for their chicken salad, I went in search online for a copycat recipe. I figured I might find one or two on a food blog out there. Instead, the top search result was the exact recipe itself provided directly on the Whole Foods' website.

Could it be ? Could this really be the real thing ?

Off to the kitchen I went to try out the recipe. Holy moly, friends, this is it. It's the real deal.

Not only will I get to enjoy this chicken salad more often, but it will save me a bundle. {I believe I paid around $12.00 a pound for it at Whole Foods.}

Don't leave out the poppy seeds, by the way. They are crucial {imo}. I love that little bit of crunch and pop.

I, too, like the {extremely simple and uncomplicated} way the chicken is cooked in this version ... the result is perfectly moist and super tender meat.

I urge you to give this one a whirl. It will be a great addition to your summer recipe repertoire. It's divine on a couple of slices of good-quality bread, but would be just as good on top of a bed of salad greens or in lettuce cups.

Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken

 

 

My kids went wild for this chicken!  It came out of the oven incredibly moist, juicy and super flavorful.

The ingredient list is a short and simple one - just the way I like it.  And, the prep time is quick and easy.  This is a great go-to chicken recipe for busy weeknights and is perfect with mashed potatoes and a simple side salad.

Yields 4 servings.

A Collection of Chicken Recipes from Joyously Domestic

Chicken is a staple ingredient in so many of our kitchens.  Yet, so many of us are daunted and overwhelmed by the task of finding new ways to incorporate chicken into our weekly or monthly dinner rotations.

You'll find lots of creative and scrumptious recipes that utilize chicken here on Joyously Domestic.  I invite you to browse through some of our most-popular chicken recipes and try a few out for yourself.  I'm sure you'll find something that you and your loved ones will fall in love with.  From main dishes to soups to dips and appetizers ... there's lots to choose from.  Some are intended for the slow cooker, too, so those recipes are perfect for your busy weeknights.  Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

 

Sometimes there's just nothing that will satisfy a craving for roasted meat and potatoes like, well ... roasted meat and potatoes.  This dish is full of flavor and is so incredibly simple to make.  Thyme, lemon, onions and a little white wine (chicken stock can be substituted) come together with a basic vinaigrette to beautifully and deliciously season the chicken and potatoes.

Everything cooks in one baking dish.  Your complete meal is ready to go without dirtying a ton of dishes.  We like this with a salad or some steamed green beans.

I like to use two or three large skin-on/bone-in chicken breasts (that I halve) for this.  But, you can cut up a whole chicken or utilize bone-in/skin-on thighs.  (I wouldn't recommend skinless and boneless unless you want dry meat.)

Yields 4 - 6 servings (depending on how many chicken pieces you use)

Skillet Chicken Parmesan Over Pasta

This recipe is a simple variation of traditional Chicken Parmesan.  The chicken and sauce can be served with whatever pasta you prefer.  Once the pasta is cooked, everything comes together in one pan.  We're skipping the heavy breading and deep frying here, so you can kind of consider this a bit of a lighter version ...  although there is a bit of butter on the ingredient list and a good amount of cheese.  Cheese, glorious cheese.

 

 

This dish stretches two large chicken breasts into one meal that will serve around four people, so it's pretty economical, too.  And, if you wanted to make this even more healthful, you can skip the light coating of breadcrumbs altogether and simply just sauté the chicken breasts (seasoned with the salt, pepper and Italian herbs) in a little olive oil all.

This dish went over splendidly in the Joyously Domestic household.  It makes for a pretty easy and satisfying weeknight dinner option. The process is pretty straightforward.  Boil off the pasta.  Lightly coat the chicken with salt, pepper, herbs and breadcrumbs.  Sauté the chicken in a bit of olive oil, then remove it from the skillet.  Place the cooked pasta down in the skillet, nestle in the chicken, spoon on some good-quality marinara sauce, top with lots of cheese, allow everything to become bubbly in the oven and then grab a fork!

Yields 4 servings.

Grilled Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a delicious and simple spin on traditional chicken cordon bleu.  In just a few minutes, you have chicken ready to toss on the grill ... chicken so juicy and full of flavor that it will knock your flip flops off! The ham does a wonderful job of keeping the chicken super tender and juicy while yielding some amazing flavor to typically bland chicken breasts.

 

 

A beautiful thing about this, too, is that you can prep the chicken and have it ready in a zip-top bag.  Just fire up the grill come dinnertime and cook these babies up in no time!

Yields 4 servings.

Homemade Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

I make chicken stock usually every couple of weeks.  I have turned to making it in the slow cooker because I can toss everything in and not have to "babysit" it.  What I like doing is allowing it to cook overnight while I sleep, but this can be done throughout the course of the daytime while you go about your daily tasks or head off to work, too.

There's a few things you should consider when making homemade stock or broth.  First, you can use either a leftover chicken carcass (from a roasted or rotisserie chicken) or you can use raw chicken (whole or in pieces).  Depending on what you use, there will be subtle differences in the depth, flavor and color of your broth/stock.  But, either yields a delicious liquid that will result in a better quality product that store-bought.  If using raw chicken, I recommend buying inexpensive cuts when they are on sale.  Wings, thighs and legs work great.  Save the breasts for your favorite chicken recipes.

There are some who have clear (yet often differing) opinions and definitions of the differences between stock and broth.  The differences can encompass distinct variables such as whether you use the bones/carcass from already-cooked meat or whether you start from raw meat, for example.  The Cooking Geek offers some insight into the differences between stock and broth.  Call it what you'd like, but making your own at home is simple, economical and darn tasty!

I recommend not salting your stock during the cooking process since you never usually know what you'll be using it for in the future.  Salt later when utilizing the stock in a recipe.  If you do choose to salt the stock, do so sparingly.  Also, unless you have whole peppercorns on hand, I do not recommend adding ground black pepper during the cooking process.  Doing so can discolor your liquid.  Add later.

If I make or buy a whole rotisserie/roasted chicken, I throw what remains of the carcass into the freezer in a zip-top plastic bag for making stock at a later time.

Slow Cooker "Roasted" Herb Chicken with Gravy

There's something magical that happens to chicken breasts on the bone when cooked in the slow cooker.  Doing so yields such succulent, tender and flavorful meat.  And, what I, also, love about this recipe is that there is hardly any work to be done in the morning to get the chicken going.  Throw in the breasts, sprinkle on some seasoning, pour in a little broth (or water) and put the lid on!  At mealtime, simple utilize the cooking liquid to make a quick pan gravy and serve it all with some homemade, buttery mashed potatoes.

I am providing the suggested spices that I use for the chicken, but any that you love with poultry and have on hand would do the job.  Watkins' Garlic Peppercorn Blend is pretty magnificent.  I use it in so many dishes.  It is a combination of sea salt, dehydrated garlic, black peppercorns, parsley and oregano.  Substituting those spices and seasonings would be fine in place of the Watkins' product.  Or, go with what you love with chicken!

Yields 2 - 4 servings.

For nutritional value information, visit my post of this recipe on My Recipe Magic.  Click the "Nutrition" tab at the top of the post there.

Salsa Verde White Chicken Enchiladas

 

I shared with you my Tomatillo and Poblano Salsa Verde recipe yesterday.  I've been dying to use it in the cream sauce of chicken enchiladas. 

Let me share with you just how amazing it was!  I've made a lot of versions of enchiladas throughout the years.  I think this one "took the cake."  I've made this type of cream sauce with canned green chiles before, but this version using my homemade green salsa is beyond anything that I've made like this in the past.  To say that I am in love with these enchiladas is quite the understatement.

(I, literally, could have stood at the stove eating spoonful after spoonful of this sauce all on its own before ever even pouring it over the tortillas.)

These babies will knock your socks off.  (Or, your flip flops if your weather has heated up like mine and socks have been tucked away for the summer).

My sister, her sweetie and my little nephew came for dinner.  We scarfed down these enchiladas with total abandonment.  I served shredded lettuce, diced avocado, lime wedges, tomatoes, red onion slices, black olives, sour cream and extra Tomatillo and Poblano Salsa Verde on the side to be used as toppings.  We barely touched the accompaniments ... the enchiladas were to die for all on their own!

If you're not up for making the homemade version of the salsa, a store-bought green salsa will work.  But, I promise you that going the extra mile to make it homemade is beyond worth it.  The salsa can be made (and is even better) 1 - 3 days in advance.

Yields 10 enchiladas.

Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake

 

It's been a bit of a frenzied week here in our house.  My daughter's fourteenth birthday party is this Saturday.  We have over thirty guests set to attend and I've been in my crazy party prep mode since the weekend.  (My poor children and husband know what I'm talking about ... don't ya, guys?)

 

I still have most of the shopping to do and a bit of housework yet to get done.  The always-present-the-week-before-a-major-party-event chore list has been posted on the fridge for several days ... color-coded according to each family member's respective day-to-day tasks for the week.  (I know ... my OCD really comes out in full force at times such as these!)  Since all of my children have their birthdays in the spring, we get ready for their parties and get much of our spring cleaning done all at the same time.  (It's a win-win for this mom!)

I'm taking a brief break, however, to share this wonderfully scrumptious recipe with you.  It's a very simple pasta bake that could be changed up to suit your tastes and to utilize what you have on hand.  Swap out the spinach for some blanched broccoli.  Add in some canned artichokes or fresh, chopped mushrooms.  Want to make it a little more healthful?  Use whole wheat pasta.

Yields 6 - 8 servings.

Greek Yogurt & Honey Dijon Chicken Salad

I am a huge chicken salad lover. This is a fabulous recipe that puts a little spin on the traditional version. I've been replacing some or all of the sour cream and mayo in recipes lately with low-fat Greek yogurt.  You'll get the same zip and zing, but you'll save tons of calories and fat. 

 

A little Dijon mustard and honey make an appearance in the "dressing" for this chicken salad, as well.  I dig the perfect balance of tang, slight sweetness and creaminess wrapped up into this dressing.

Depending on your mood and/or what you have on hand, this can be served wrap-style with tortillas, in pita bread, on any bread you prefer or on top of a bed of lettuce (or spinach).  I even like to scoop the chicken salad up with seeded sweet peppers or enjoy it on crackers.

Yields 2 - 4 servings.