Easy and Affordable Chicken Recipes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

26 Mar 2009 10:27 AM

The price of a regular gallon of unleaded gas rose 11 cents in our city in less than five days. Good gracious! Fortunately, the price of chicken breasts went down about 50 cents since last week. Guess what we're having for dinner tonight? And the next, and the next?

Chicken is a frequent visitor at my family's dinner table. Luckily, I have an abundance of recipes to turn plain chicken breasts into sensational entrees without breaking the bank.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN

Ingredients:

6 ounces linguine (or your favorite pasta)

8 ounces chicken breasts

2 ounces marinated artichoke hearts

2 ounces kalamata olives

2 ounces sun dried tomatoes

2 ounces diced tomatoes

1 garlic clove (minced)

1 ounce white wine

4 ounces butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

Directions:

Grill chicken breasts on medium high heat until done.

Cook linguine in boiling water until al dente.

Saute artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and garlic in olive oil until heated. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Reduce for a few minutes. Add butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss in pasta.

Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and top with sliced grilled chicken breast.

Garnish with fresh basil.

SIMPLE STUFFED CHICKEN

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons white wine

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup diced sun dried tomatoes

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup chopped spinach

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Soften cream cheese at room temperature.

In a microwave safe bowl combine herbs, garlic and wine and microwave for 30 seconds. Add mixture to the cream cheese.

In another microwave safe bowl combine the tomatoes and water and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove the tomatoes and place on paper towel to dry.

In a small saute pan, heat a small amount of oil and wilt spinach with salt and pepper. Place spinach on paper towel to dry.

Mix spinach, tomato and cream cheese mixture together and season with pinch of salt and pepper. Place cheese mix in refrigerator to firm up again.

Stuff the chicken breasts by cutting a small pocket into the thickest part of the chicken and stuffing it with the cheese mixture.

Season breast with salt and pepper and saute until golden brown.

Finish in oven until chicken's internal temp is 165 degrees (about 20 minutes).

Serve with wild rice or pasta.

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Lemon Artichoke Chicken

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Chicken Wings, Cauliflower and Coke

Ready, Set, Grill-CHICKEN

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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