Chicken Enchilada Bake

CHEESY (or Not)

 CHICKEN ENCHILADA BAKE

INGREDIENTS

•  2 cups salsa verde or guacamole salsa (see note)
•  1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts (I use thin cut)
•  1 tablespoon oil
•  1 medium yellow or white onion, thinly sliced into half moons
•  2 medium bell peppers, cored and sliced into strips
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  Pinch of black pepper
•  1 can (15-ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
•  1 to 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese (or a combo) - Skip for dairy free
•  Fresh, chopped cilantro

SEASONING MIX:

•  1 teaspoon dried oregano
•  1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•  1/2 teaspoon chili powder
•  1/2 teaspoon cumin
•  1/2 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
•  1/4 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch (or similar sized) baking dish. Spread one cup of the salsa verde (or guacamole salsa) in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine all the seasoning mix ingredients. Pat the chicken dry. If using chicken breasts, cut them into thinner strips (similar to chicken tenderloin size or slightly larger). Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over the chicken (both sides). Set aside.
3. In a 12-inch skillet or saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until the onions and peppers start to soften, 3-4 minutes (they'll cook a bit more in the oven). Spread the onions and peppers over the salsa in the pan.
4. Return the skillet to medium heat and add a drizzle of oil if the pan is dry. Add the chicken in a single layer (may need to do this in two batches) and cook for 30 - 60 seconds per side for some quick browning action - don't overcook (the chicken will cook longer in the oven). Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a single layer over the vegetables.
5. Sprinkle the black beans over the chicken. Pour the remaining one cup salsa over the beans. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes (bake for 35 minutes in this step if using chicken thighs).
6. Uncover, (sprinkle with cheese if using), and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Add time, as needed, for the chicken to fully cook through.
7. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and let rest for 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken as the casserole rests. Serve over rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, etc OR serve in tortillas (or roll up in burritos or enchiladas). Serve with additional toppings/garnishes as desired: avocados, fresh lime wedges, sour cream, additional cheese, tomatoes, etc.

NOTES

Salsa Verde: this recipe is pretty adaptable for what kind of sauce to use.  Make sure all sauces are gluten and dairy free. Mel's kitchen cafe says I've tried is salsa verde (I use Trader Joe's brand) on the bottom of the dish and the creamy guacamole salsa (Herdez brand) over the top. I think green enchilada sauce could work equally well, too.

Slow Cooker: I haven't tried it yet, but I think this could transition extremely well to a slow cooker meal. Follow all the steps in the recipe except layer the ingredients in a greased slow cooker instead of a baking dish. Maybe 4-5 hours on low? Yes, I'm liking that idea quite a lot.

Mel's Ham Fried Rice

EASY HAM FRIED RICE

INGREDIENTS

•  3 large eggs
•  1 teaspoon sesame oil
•  1 teaspoon olive oil
•  Salt and pepper
•  2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
•  2 to 3 green onions, finely chopped
•  3 cups cooked, cold rice (see note)
•  1 to 2 cups diced leftover ham (or deli ham)
•  1/2 to 1 cup frozen peas
•  2 to 3 tablespoons GF soy sauce (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk together the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat the sesame and olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and let the mixture cook until set on the bottom, just a few seconds. With a rubber spatula turn the eggs slowly until mostly cooked. Scoot them to the side of the skillet.
2. If the skillet is dry, add another sploosh of oil (sesame or olive oil) to the center of the skillet. Add the garlic and the white parts of the green onions to the skillet and cook for 20-30 seconds, until sizzling (but not burning!) and the mixture smells fragrant.
3. Add the cold rice on top of the onions and garlic (keep the eggs mostly over to the side still), breaking the rice into clumps. Cook until the rice is sizzling and the clumps start to separate into smaller pieces, 3-4 minutes. Incorporate the eggs back into the rice mixture.
4. Add the chopped ham and peas and stir to combine. Add the soy sauce stir until evenly incorporated. Cook the fried rice until all the ingredients are heated through, 4-5 minutes.
5. Serve immediately with additional soy sauce, if desired, and the green parts of the onion. (If not serving with additional soy sauce, season to taste with additional salt and pepper, as needed.)

NOTES

Cooking Rice: the key to really good fried rice is using cooked rice that is really cold. This keeps the fried rice from turning mushy. However, if you don't have precooked rice on hand, you can use hot rice that's just been cooked (as long as you are ok with a slightly different texture to the finished fried rice). When cooking the rice on the stove, use 1 1/2 cups water or broth for every cup of rice. In the Instant Pot, I use 1 cup rice to 1 1/4 cups liquid (4 minutes high pressure for white rice/22 minutes high pressure for brown rice).

Types of Rice: white or brown rice can be used. I usually use jasmine or basmati varieties.

Soy Sauce: Use a gluten free soy sauce. 

Other Substitutions: this recipe is easily customizable. It can be made meatless or any variety of cooked meat can be subbed in for the ham. Other vegetables can easily be added as well.

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Southwest Chicken and Rice

ONE-POT SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND RICE

YIELD: 4-6 SERVINGS

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 40 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES

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INGREDIENTS

•  4 boneless skinless chicken cut into bite size pieces (about 2 pounds)
•  Salt and pepper
•  2 tablespoons canola oil
•  1 yellow onion, chopped
•  4 garlic cloves, finely minced
•  1 teaspoon  gf chili powder
•  1 teaspoon gf cumin
•  1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
•  4 cups df low-sodium chicken broth
•  1 (15-ounce) can gf black beans, drained and rinsed
•  1 (10-ounce) package gf frozen corn
•   2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
•  Salsa for serving 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until golden.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
2. To the pot, add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook until the edges are just slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer.
3. Return the chicken to the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer ( don't stir) until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter or plate. Stir the black beans and corn into the pot. Add the  cilantro. Season the rice mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the rice with the chicken, adding salsa if desired.
4. Make sure all your spices are gluten-Free and the chicken Broth is dairy Free.  Sometimes the frozen corn is manufactured on a wheat facility so read your labels.