Inspiring People to Cook Again
Stuffed zucchini squash is a light, healthy Mediterranean dish that can be made with any type of ground meat. I prefer ground chicken because it does have some fat but if you want to go real lean, use ground turkey. It’s easy to prepare and […]
When fall and the holidays are approaching, I am drawn to savory dishes and comfort foods. This one fits the bill! Tarragon Chicken in a leek cream sauce is a rich dish that’s perfect for a cold night. Be sure to serve this […]
Chicken vegetable soup with chicken spinach meatballs, is a great healthy dish for a light dinner or lunch. I like to use ground chicken because it has great flavor and less fat than beef but any ground meat will work. You can also use ground turkey for an even leaner option.
As with all my soups and stews, I add a lot of vegetables. You can buy them all separately, but I like to buy the “Leasa soup mix” in the produce section because it has most of the things I use for a soup or stew in one package. Then I just get the leeks and other stuff separately. This soup freezes well so don’t be afraid to make a big pot and freeze the leftovers in a Tupperware for another time.
Ingredients for soup:
Ingredients for meatballs:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add all the vegetables and sauté for about 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add parsley and dill.
Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken thighs. Turn up the heat until the soup boils. Then turn down the heat and let soup cook on a low boil for about 20-30 minutes or so while you make your meatballs.
In a medium size bowl, add the ground chicken and all of the other ingredients for the meatball mix and season with salt and pepper. (Make sure you squeeze all the liquid out of the frozen spinach box. Just hold it over the sink and give it a good squeeze with both hands. You want to wring out all that liquid so it doesn’t make the meat mixture too loose.) Combine well and shape into 1-inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet greased with olive oil or cooking spray and bake in a 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes.
Once the meatballs are done cooking, you can add them to the soup and continue simmering the soup for another 10-15 minutes. Add your pasta or rice and you are ready to serve. I like to serve it with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Cook’s Notes:
If adding small pasta like pastina or thin short egg noodles you can cook it right in the soup. For all other larger pastas’ or rice, cook separately and add to soup at the end. Sometimes to save time I just add a bad or two of Uncle Bens Redi Rice. The brown rice is a simple healthy option.
Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite chicken dishes. It’s a traditional Italian recipe and a comfort food I can’t live without. I love the mushrooms and the sweet taste of the wine along with the salty prosciutto. I’m sure everyone makes this dish his […]
Crock Pot Chicken with Pan Gravy – An Easy Crock Pot Recipe. Chicken recipes come and go but this healthy Chicken Crock Pot Recipe is an easy chicken dish that anyone can make. If you have never cooked a whole chicken in a slow cooker, […]
My mom Gloria always made a dish like this and called it Italian Paella (“pie-yay-yah”). Her original way of making this calls for browning the chicken first. You can certainly do that but I think it’s lighter and easier to just put it all in the pan and toss it in the oven.
This is an easy one-dish meal that takes only a few minutes to put together but it needs some time to cook in the oven so you’ll want to plan ahead a bit. All the seasonings and juices of the dish get locked into the rice and give it a wonderful rich flavor. It’s also a great dish to make for a party because you can put it all together the night before. This isn’t any sort of traditional Spanish or Italian dish; it’s just a great tasting family favorite. For variations and make ahead suggestions, see Cook’s Notes below.
Serves about 8-10 people (see Cook’s Notes to cut recipe in half if desired)
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a large roasting pan (about 12×16), spread uncooked rice evenly in bottom of the pan. Crumble the bullion cubes in your fingers and sprinkle over the rice. Top with the green and red peppers, onion, garlic and peas.
Cut the chicken breasts in half to create a smaller portion. Also, cut the sausage in half too. Evenly place the chicken and the sausage over the veggies.
Note: If you are making this ahead of time, stop here and see cook’s notes below. If not, continue.
Pour the wine and the chicken stock into the pan. Top the dish with the stewed tomatoes. Season the chicken with a good amount of seasoned salt and fresh ground black pepper, sprinkle with parsley or herb of choice.
Cover with foil and bake in oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for another 30 minutes or until dish is browned (see photos below). Remove from oven and allow dish to cool about 15 minutes and absorb excess liquid before serving.
Cook’s notes:
If you are preparing this the night before or the morning before you cook it, follow these instructions.
Once you add the chicken and the sausage cover with foil and refrigerate. When you are ready to continue cooking, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking so the pan isn’t ice cold when you put it in the oven. Remove the foil and top the chicken with the remaining ingredients and bake as recipe calls for.
Don’t be afraid to get creative with this recipe and vary it. You can add mushrooms, a pinch or two of saffron, fresh or dried basil, parsley, oregano, and different colored peppers or wines. I even like to add a little red hot pepper flakes or sometimes use hot sausage.
If you don’t want to make such a large batch, you can cut the recipe in half and use a smaller baking dish. If you do that it will probably only need 1 hour and 30 minutes total to cook. Bake covered for 1 hour then remove foil and bake for another 30 minutes uncovered.
Your whole family will love this dish. When you serve it, I guarantee it will look like something from a fine restaurant. You don’t have to tell them how easy it was to make. If you need to double or triple the recipe, see my […]
Chicken Bolognese is an easy recipe that is fresh, lighter and healthier then the classic Bolognese Sauce. Chicken Bolognese gives you all the great flavor but a lot less fat than the original version in a lot less time. You won’t miss any of the taste. […]
