Chicken Enchilada Soup {Chili’s Copycat}

I love soup. Broccoli cheese, chicken noodle, clam chowder and potato soup are some of my favorites but I also love a good enchilada soup. I will fully admit I don’t like a whole lot of veggies in my soup so I am sometimes leary about ordering enchilada soup. I have never had Chili’s version but my mom has told me it’s delish. After looking at the recipe, I knew most of my household would love it (Joel is a soup hater, boo).

Masa harina, a flour made of ground corn, is used to make tortillas, tamales and other traditional Mexican dishes. In this recipe, it not only lends that traditional enchilada taste to the soup but it also helps thicken it. Masa harina is usually found in the baking aisle by the flour or in the Mexican/ethnic food aisle. I’ve seen it at Wal-Mart so it shouldn’t be too hard to find. But if you can’t find it, or don’t wish to buy it for one recipe (although you could make this delicious dish with it), you could mince up some flour tortillas and they will dissolve into the soup for added flavor and texture.

The Chili’s version does not include corn or black beans but we like them around here and they add more texture and yumminess so I decided to add them. This is a really simple, convenient meal that is quick to throw together so it would be a great option for a busy weeknight or for when you don’t feel like cooking.

This makes a huge amount of soup so I should have halved it, especially considering the whiny boy. I ate it for lunch for a few days and froze the rest in individual portions. I will have to update on how the freezing went once I try some.

Chicken Enchilada Soup {Chili’s Copycat}
recipe from Lindsay’s Lucious

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken stock
1 tablespoon chicken soup base
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 (8 oz). can tomato sauce
1 (19 oz.) can enchilada sauce (or two 10 oz. cans)
1 cup masa harina (or 6 small corn tortillas, minced)
16 oz. Velveeta, cubed
1 cup colby jack cheese, shredded
1 (22 oz.) bag Tyson roasted and diced chicken, thawed
1 can whole kernel corn, drained (optional)
1 can black beans, drained (optional)
Garnishes: pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded cheese, crunchy tortilla strips

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onions until they are tender. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute or two, then scrape the onions and garlic into your crock pot.

2. Add all the other ingredients, except the chicken, corn and black beans. Cook over high heat for two hours or low for four. Whisk until smooth (you may wish to use a stick blender).

3. Add the chicken pieces, corn and black beans and heat through, maybe another 30 minutes to one hour. Check seasonings, and garnish as you like before serving.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

We love quesadillas so I am always thinking of different varieties to mix it up and this has got to be one of my favorite combinations yet. Joel grew up in Kansas City and I lived in the south for several years so we are big fans of barbeque. And Noah totally loves corn and black beans. He asks for them for lunch (with rice) on a regular basis. So with all that considered, I knew this would be a winning meal in our house. And it’s relatively healthy so that’s a big plus too! I suppose you could use reduced fat cheese to make it even better for you but that’s kind of where I draw the line. You just don’t mess with cheese. I would rather just enjoy it in moderation.

Serve these with extra barbeque on the side if you are feeling saucy.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

4 chicken breasts
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (15 oz.) can corn
2 cups cheese, shredded (I used a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella)
Green onion, thinly sliced
8 whole wheat tortillas
BBQ sauce

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, rinse and drain black beans. Once grill is heated, place chicken on grill and cook for about 6 minutes per side, basting with BBQ sauce occasionally. Remove from grill and allow to cool slightly.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dice chicken into bite size pieces. Place one tortilla into skillet then sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese, corn, black beans, chicken, green onion and another 1/4 cup cheese. Top with second tortilla. Cook until golden and cheese has melted then carefully flip and cook until golden on the second side. Remove to plate and repeat process with remaining ingredients. Slice into 6 pieces using a pizza cutter. Serve with additional BBQ sauce for dipping.

Brown Butter Corn

One of Noah’s favorite foods right now is corn. When I ask him what he wants for lunch it’s always tacos, pizza or corn. He indeed is his father’s son!

Although we all like corn, it can get a little old after awhile so I am always looking for ways to change it up. We of course love Sweet Corn Cake, Corn Casserole and Smoked Corn but I was in need of a simple and quick weeknight side. When I came across this recipe I knew it would be a winner in our house. What’s better than fresh, buttery corn?

Brown Butter Skillet Corn
recipe from Barefeet in the Kitchen

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed from the cob
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large thick bottomed skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Let it cook until it foams and then a few moments past that it will turn a light brown color. Be careful not to let it overcook, as burnt butter, with light brown specks that will turn black, is not at all the same.

2. Add the corn to the skillet and stir to coat all the pieces. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper and stir again. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the corn is hot and still crisp. Enjoy!

Catalina Taco Salad

Ever since I was a child I have loved Catalina dressing. Like a dip my chicken nuggets in Catalina while other normal kids dipped in ketchup kind of love. I even liked to drizzle a little on my cottage cheese. Strange, I know. I still love it today, but just on my salad (although I may just have to try the cottage cheese thing again).

So when I saw this salad I knew I had to try it. The salt and crunch of the fritos is a nice contrast to the rest of the salad. And the warm ground beef makes it extra yummy and filling.

Catalina Taco Salad
recipe slightly adapted from Jennifer Cooks

8 cups torn romaine lettuce or lettuce blend
1 ½ pounds ground beef
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed & drained thoroughly
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained thoroughly
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced into half moons
1 (14 ounce) bag Fritos corn chips
1 (24 ounce) bottle Catalina salad dressing

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Set aside and cool slightly while preparing other ingredients.

2. In a very large serving bowl, combine lettuce, grated cheese, beans, tomatoes, olives, and onions.  Toss gently to blend.

3. Just before serving, add cooked ground beef and corn chips; toss gently to combine with salad ingredients.  Begin drizzling salad dressing over salad mixture and lightly toss salad until the desired amount of dressing is used.

Chicken Enchilada Salad

Remember the enchilada sauce from Wednesday? I told you I would be bringing you a unique meal idea to use the sauce with and this is it! I have been eating a lot of salads this summer and this recipe was at the top of my list to try. I changed up the ingredients a bit to suit our taste and add even more variety and texture throughout the salad. I totally have a thing for black beans and corn together so I had to add those to the lineup.

This salad has creaminess from the avocado and black beans, crunch from the tortilla strips and corn and spice from the enchilada sauce. The chicken (which you could replace with ground beef if you prefer) completes the salad and keeps you full for much longer.

As you can see, I had my little sous chef helping. He also loves corn and black beans so he kept sneaking those cute little hands in the bowls.

Chicken Enchilada Salad
recipe adapted from Fresh Express

1 head iceburg lettuce, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cucumber, cut into small cubes
1 avocado, diced
1 basket cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup mixed yellow and white cheese, grated
2 green onions, sliced thinly
2 chicken breasts, cooked and hand-shredded
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
Tortilla strips, cripsy onions or crispy jalapenos, to taste
Your favorite creamy Ranch or Buttermilk dressing

1. In separate bowl, toss chicken with enchilada sauce. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Place lettuce into large salad bowl. Add in tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, green onions and toss together.

3. Place mixed salad onto 4 individual plates.

4. Top the salad with the enchilada chicken and sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on top of each salad.

5. Drizzle on your favorite creamy dressing.

Smoked Corn on the Cob

We recently had some friends over for dinner to catch up and break out the smoker. We made delicious pulled pork and planned on grilling some corn on the cob for one of the sides. Well, unfortunately the Minnesota wind had a different plan for us. It was ridiculously windy that day which meant no grilling and smoking the meat in the garage red neck style. I didn’t want to just boil the corn so Joel suggested throwing it in the smoker. I searched the internet a bit and found that it is possible to smoke corn.

Turns out it was super delicious! Joel, who normally doesn’t eat corn on the cob, devoured it. The corn had a slightly smoky flavor and was great slathered in butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper. This was a simple recipe and the part that took the longest was shucking the corn and removing the silk…..ugh, I hate that part.

Smoked Corn on the Cob

6 ears of corn
6 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Butter

1. Peel back husks of corn but do not remove them from the corn; remove all the silk. Soak the ears of corn in water for several hours.

2. Dry corn then brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Pull husks back over the corn then place in a smoker heated to 225 degrees F. Cook for about an hour and a half. Remove from smoker and remove husks. Serve with butter.

Recipe linked to Mangia Monday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Cast Party Wednesday and Full Plate Thursday.

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Corn

Do any of you have one of those foods that your significant other just won’t eat? No matter what you do? Quinoa is one of those things that Joel will not go for in any shape or form. I knew the Quinoa Black Bean Patties would not go over well with my carnivore husband but I went for it anyway. I thought maybe a Quinoa Salad would be a middle ground that he possibly enjoy. Well, he still didn’t give it a try. I should have known when there was leftover macaroni and cheese in the fridge.

Well I enjoyed this very much. I was originally just planning on mixing in the corn and beans but then I saw a cucumber in the fridge and thought it might be a good addition. Turns out that it totally made the salad for me. This was so simple to throw together and consisted of ingredients I always have on hand. Plus, it’s good for you so it can’t get much better than that!

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Corn

1 cup quinoa, uncooked
2 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly into half moons
6 Tbsp. Italian dressing (I like light balsamic vinaigrette)
1/4-1/2 cup crumbled feta

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer. Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce to medium and boil, covered, for 12 minutes or until water is evaporated. Remove from heat, fluff and let sit with lid for 15 minutes.

2. Place cooked quinoa in a bowl and allow to cool.

3. Once cool, mix in black beans, corn, cucumber, Italian dressing and feta. Refrigerate.

Creamed Corn

Creamed corn is one of those old school foods that totally brings me back to my childhood. I had never cooked or eaten homemade creamed corn until now and my goodness it was so good. It tastes so much sweeter and fresher than the canned version.

If corn isn’t in season when preparing this, adding sugar will help sweeten up the dish but it shouldn’t be necessary during corn’s peak. Use your instincts and taste buds. If you think the corn needs it, add it.

This is the perfect simple summer side dish for any main course. I especially love it with grilled barbeque chicken because it was another childhood favorite. This will definitely be gracing our table over and over this summer.

Creamed Corn
recipe from Taste and Tell

8 ears fresh corn
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half, whole milk, skim milk, or heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or white pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

1. Cut kernels from the cob and scrape the cobs with the edge of a spoon to extract as much juice and material as possible. You should have 5 1/4 cups of corn.

2. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a 12-inch skillet until frothy. Add corn and stir constantly for 1 minute.

3. Pour in half-and-half. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring vigilantly until the liquid has thickened to a dense, yellowish sauce, about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let steam for 2 minutes. Serve immediately, and be sure to pool some sauce around each serving.

Mexican Chicken Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette

In honor of Cinco de Mayo I wanted to bring you all one of my new favorite salad recipes, Mexican Chicken Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette. It was pretty much like an explosion in your mouth of Mexican flavor!

The vinaigrette was tangy, zippy and spicy which worked wonderfully with the cool greens, warm chicken, black bean pico and ranch dressing. I think this vinaigrette could be used as a quick and easy marinade for chicken this summer too.

Everything combines to create a light and refreshing salad that is surprisingly filling! Give it a try tomorrow for a yummy Mexican meal!

Mexican Chicken Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette
recipe from 4 Little Fergusons

FOR THE CHILI-LIME DRESSING:
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice (about 2 Small Limes)
1 teaspoon Grated Lime Zest
1 teaspoon Chopped Garlic
½ teaspoons Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Ground Pepper
¼ teaspoons Cumin
⅓ cups Olive Oil

FOR THE PICO DE GALLO:
1 whole Red Pepper, Diced
1 whole Yellow Pepper, Diced
½ whole Red Onion, Diced
⅓ cups Fresh Cilantro, Snipped
1 can Corn, Drained (15 Ounce Can)
1 can Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed (15 Ounce Can)
1 whole Large Tomato, Diced

FOR THE SALAD:
8 cups Mixed Greens Of Your Choice
4 whole Grilled Seasoned Chicken Breasts, Cubed
1 whole Hass Avocado, Mashed
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
Mexican Cheese To Taste
Your Favorite Ranch Dressing
Crunchy Tortilla Strips

1. Combine all of the dressing ingredients and mix well.

2. Combine all of the pico de gallo ingredients and mix well.

3. To assemble salad: place mixed greens on each plate, add a generous helping of pico, some grilled chicken cubes and cheese. Add a dollop of mashed avocado (mix the avocado with the lime juice and some salt, to taste) to the top of each salad.

4. Drizzle with mostly ranch dressing and a small amount of the lime dressing. Top with tortilla strips.

Recipe linked to Mangia Monday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Cast Party Wednesday.

BBQ Chicken Salad

I have been trying to create light but satisfying lunches to eat during the week that are still quick and easy to prepare with a little man running around. And this was a total winner. The great thing about this meal is that it can all be prepared ahead of time then thrown together right before you are ready to eat. That’s my kind of weekday lunch!

You could either eat the chicken cold (if made the night before) or warm on this salad. I prefer it warm because for some reason it just seems more satisfying to me. But when summer comes around I’m sure I will like it cold for a nice, light and refreshing meal.

This actually isn’t too much of a recipe. It’s more of an idea featuring flavor combinations that I enjoy. You can switch out or add different ingredients to suit your taste. I think black beans would be a great addition to this salad. An extra little drizzle of barbeque sauce would be great too.

BBQ Chicken Salad

1 chicken breast, pounded thinly
3 Tbsp. barbeque sauce
½ head iceberg or romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces handful of frozen corn, thawed
¼ English cucumber
¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp. red onion, thinly sliced (I don’t like raw onion so I skipped but thought others would enjoy them)
handful of tortilla strips (found by the croutons)
ranch dressing

1. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken on one side then flip and generously slather with barbeque sauce. Flip and slather the other side. Cook until chicken is done and juices run clear. Remove to cutting board and let it sit for a few minutes for the juices to redistribute. Slice chicken into bite size pieces.

2. Layer lettuce, corn, cucumbers, onion, cheese, chicken and tortilla strips. Drizzle with desired amount of ranch dressing.