Summer is the perfect time to make that simple and delicious Greek dish, Chicken Souvlaki! Marinating chicken with the flavors of lemon and garlic – a perfect combination in my book! You can grill the chicken or bake it in the oven – whatever is convenient for you. I had plans to grill this, but with downpours all day, I decided to bake them instead – and they were delicious!
By the way – this goes perfectly served with my cool, Greek Tzatziki Sauce! Serve the sauce on the side for dipping, OR chop up the chicken, place in a Pita or a Stonefire Naan (individual size), add a hefty dollop of Tzatziki, and lettuce, Makes a VERY yummy sandwich!
Chicken Souvlaki served up on a Stonefire Naan with my homemade Tzatziki Sauce!
Lemon, garlic and oregano blend together to marinate fresh chicken breast in this Greek tradition recipe!
Author: SimpleSolutionsDiva.com
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Juice of one lemon
½ teaspoon dried oregano (or 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)
2-4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (I used three!)
4 chicken breasts
Instructions
In a large baggie, combine all the ingredients.
Seal the baggie and shake to combine.
Allow to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge, or until ready to grill or cook.
Grill on medium high heat, turning once or twice, until instant read meat thermometer inserted into the chicken breast reads 165 degrees. (approximately 15-20 minutes)
Alternative Cooking Method: Place on a greased baking sheet and cook for approximately 20-30 minutes in a 400 degree oven. They are done when instant read meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.
I love finding shortcuts to recipes, and this one is wonderful because the short cut is to use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store (rather than cook the chicken separately!). This yummy dish is easy and delish!
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded or chopped deli rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
(1) 15 oz can low-sodium black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 – 1 teaspoon ground cumin (to taste)
(1) 4.5 oz can chopped green chiles, undrained
(1) 10 oz can enchilada sauce
8 corn tortillas (5 or 6 inch)
1 1/2 cups shredded mexican cheese blend
(1) 8 oz container sour cream
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a casserole dish (I used 13×9 sized pan) with non-stick cooking spray. Pour a few tablespoons of enchilada sauce in bottom of dish, spreading to cover bottom of dish. Layer four of the tortillas on the bottom of the dish, overlapping if needed.
In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, cilantro, black beans, cumin, and green chilies until well combined.
Pour half of the chicken mixture into the dish. Sprinkle half the cheese over the chicken, half the remaining enchilada sauce, then add the corn tortillas. Do another layer of chicken and cheese, plus add a layer of 1/2 cup sour cream, and finish it off with the remaining enchilada sauce.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove tin foil and add a sprinkle of cheese and add remaining sour cream. Bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to set for 10 minutes before devouring!
This recipe I found on One Good Thing By Jillee, a great site with many recipes, projects and more – it is definitely worth a visit!
1 Stonefire Authentic Flatbread Pizza Crust, reserve packet of pizza sauce that comes with crust
1/3 cup favorite BBQ sauce
4 tablespoons favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (use as much as desired)
3/4 cup smoked gouda cheese, shredded (use as much as desired)
1.5 (approx. ) cups rotisserie chicken, cut into small pieces (use as much as desired)
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced (use as much as desired)
Cilantro, chopped for garnish
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees (if using a pizza stone, place pizza stone in while preheating).
Take 2-4 tablespoons of BBQ sauce and toss with the chicken and set aside.
Place pizza crust on work surface. Mix 1/3 cup BBQ sauce with 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved packet of pizza sauce. Spread mixture all over pizza crust. Add all three cheeses, alternating layers. Add chicken to top of pizza, spreading out to cover. Sprinkle red onion and cilantro over pizza.
Place pizza in oven for 10-15 minutes (until cheese is melted and bubbly). Enjoy!
Simple Tip:For a crowd, make 2-3 of these, keep them in fridge until ready to cook!
Part of the fun of a Super Bowl Party, besides the game and the commercials, is the food! But you don’t want to spend your entire day in the kitchen and be exhausted when guests arrive. I like to prepare a main dish that cooks in a crockpot, where people can serve themselves when they feel like it. Then I supplement with simple appetizers and finger foods. Here are a few of my favorites:
Crockpot Beef Barbacoa
Crockpot Beef Barbacoa from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Barbacoa refers to a way of cooking meat that originated in the Caribbean, and eventually was adopted in Mexico and the Southwest. It is where the term “barbecue” came from, but this has nothing to do with an open flame! It is meat, slow cooked with wonderful spices, then shredded and served in a flour tortilla. In this recipe, I’m using chuck roast cut of beef.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 medium yellow onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 cloves garlic
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 Cup beef stock
3-4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped (The amount depends on the heat level you like)
3-4 pound beef chuck roast
Preparation:
Combine vinegar, onion, lime juice, garlic,cumin, oregano, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper, beef stock in a blender and puree.
Place roast (trim off excess fat from roast) in crockpot and pour puree over the roast. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 6 hours. Shred beef in crockpot and serve in soft (and warm) flour tacos. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, beans, or whatever else suits your tastes!
Un-Sloppy Joes
I loved sloppy joes as a kid, but they were always so messy! Well, a simple solution to that is serve them in pita bread halves! Use your favorite sloppy joe recipe (or use mine below!) and serve them in pita pockets! In this recipe, I use Stonefire Authentic Flatbread Pitas (yes, I love their products and use them a lot!). Stuff shredded cheese on top, add a dash or two of hot sauce and you have the neatest sloppy joes on the block! You can make this up ahead of time and put the beef in a crockpot to keep warm – guests just help themselves! Double the recipe for larger groups.
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 Cup onion, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1/2 Cup ketchup
1 can tomato paste
6 oz. water
3 teaspoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
3 Stonefire Authentic Flatbread Pitas, halved to create 6 pockets
Preparation:
In a large pan, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium high heat until beef is cooked. Drain off liquid. Add garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, tomato paste, salt, pepper, water and brown sugar. Stir until thoroughly blended, reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Serve in pita halves with shredded cheese and hot sauce as desired.
Thai Chicken Flatbreads
Thai Chicken Flatbread from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
For a flavor change, try making a variety of flatbreads! Since I am a SIMPLE Solutions Diva, I used pre-made flatbreads by Stonefire Authentic Flatbread Naan because they are light and have a variety of flavors; you can make your own flatbread dough if desired. Prep the flatbreads in advance, then toss in the oven as needed!
This is a nice spicy recipe with an asian twist:
Ingredients:
1 Cup cooked chicken, cut or shredded into small, bite-sized pieces (I used store-bought rotisserie chicken)
6 Tablespoons thai peanut sauce (I used House of Tsang Bangkok Peanut Sauce)
2 Tablespoons shredded carrots
1 1/4 Cups shredded mozzarella (use more or less, depending on how cheesy you want your pizza)
1 Tablespoon green onions, sliced on bias, for garnish
2 Stonefire Authentic Flatbreads Naan, original flavor.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (if using a pizza stone, place stone in oven before preheating).
In a bowl, toss chicken with 4 tablespoons of thai peanut sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella on both flatbreads. Divide the chicken mixture between the two flatbreads. Sprinkle with carrots and green onions. Drizzle each flatbread with 1 tablespoon of remaining thai peanut sauce. Place flatbreads in oven for 5-10 minutes until cheesy is melty.
Serve warm!
A BIG THANK YOU to Stonefire Naan for providing me with a large selection so Stonefire Naan Flatbreads to use in this post!
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Love Buffalo Chicken Wings but want to avoid the mess and the bones? Try this simple recipe, courtesy of my sister-in-law, Jennifer. This stuff is truly addictive! Serve warm with corn chips or pita wedges.
Ingredients:
1 Rotisserie chicken, shredded and cut into bite-sized pieces (approx. 2.5 cups)
1 6 oz. bottle of Texas Pete Hot Sauce
8 oz. cream cheese
1 Cup Ranch Dressing
1 8 oz. bag mexican shredded cheese
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9 pan. Place shredded chicken in bottom of pan and pour hot sauce over the chicken, covering the chicken in sauce.
In a microwave safe bowl, place cream cheese and microwave for 30 seconds (until the cream cheese is softened). Add the ranch dressing and stir well. Pour mixture over the chicken; top the dish with the cheese and place in oven until the cheese is melted and the entire dish is bubbly (approximately 15-20 mins). Serve with chips.
Magic Cookie Bars
Magic Cookie Bars from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
A blast from childhood, these scrumptious bites of chocolate and coconut goo are so sweet, just one or two will do! Make them the day before and store at room temperature.
Ingredients:
3/4 Cup butter, melted
2 1/4 Cup graham cracker crumbs (about 18 crackers)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 Cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1 Cup butterscotch flavored chips
1 Cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 Cup chopped pecans (Not everyone likes pecans, so I use 1/2 cup and place pecans on one side)
Preparation:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat 13×9 inch glass baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (I actually used a 9×9 pan, made the layers thicker, and cooked them longer.)
Melt butter in the glass dish, and add graham cracker crumbs. Mix thoroughly and press into bottom of prepared pan. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, and nuts. Pour sweetened condensed milk over mixture, making sure it covered entire surface of the pan.
Bake approximately 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature, well hidden so everyone does not eat them all at once!
More Simple Super Bowl Recipe Ideas:
Looking for other simple, crowd pleasing recipe ideas for Super Bowl? Try these:
This recipe is a new favorite in our household – with dried cranberries, apples and onions, it is a sweet taste of Autumn!
Ingredients:
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped apples (peel, core and chop one small apple)
1/2 cup chopped onions (I used frozen chopped onions)
1 Tablespoon olive oil or other cooking oil
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
Directions:
Combine cranberries, apple juice and chicken stock in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a gallon-sized plastic bag with zip top, mix flour, salt and pepper. Toss chicken breasts into bag and shake well until each breast is coated evenly with flour.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot add chicken and cook for 5 minutes each side. Remove chicken to a plate and keep warm.
Add apples and onions to pan and cook down on medium heat until the onions are translucent.
Pour soaked cranberries with juice and stock into the hot pan, reduce heat to low and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in mustard and add chicken back into pan.
Cook for another 8-10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and sauce has thickened. Serve chicken with sauce atop.
The key to all these simple meals is having the sauces in your pantry ahead of time, and the fresh ingredients on hand — boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed or sliced thin) and chopped onions and peppers to quickly sauté up in a large pan. Add one of the sauces, let simmer, and VOILA! You have a tasty meal in under 30 minutes! Add rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes as a side, along with a healthy salad, and you have a quick meal you can feel good about serving to your family.
Thank you to Amy West of LikeLoveWantNeed.com for giving me the challenge to write for her blog about “Finding Luxury in Unlikely Places” – it was the inspiration for this video post! Be sure to check out her wonderful site that features videos, travel reviews, luxury items/destinations, giveaways and more!
FACT: In the heat of summer, if you eat something spicy, your body actually cools off. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it really works! This spicy Chipotle Chicken and Rice Soup provides just enough kick to get those sweat glands working. Recipe is from GimmeSomeOven.com, a great site to explore for a variety of recipes!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
1 small white onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
half a chayote, diced (optional-Chayote is a mexican squash. As substitute, you can use 3/4 cup diced zucchini squash)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup canned or frozen whole-kernel corn
3 chipotles in adobo sauce, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. adobo sauce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (Can use rotisserie chicken)
1 cup cooked white rice
2/3 cup salsa verde, homemade or store-bought (recommend Herdez brand)
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapenos and chayote, and saute for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and tender. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute until fragrant.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, corn, chipotles, adobo sauce, and stir to combine. Heat until nearly boiling, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken, rice, salsa verde and lime juice, and then season with salt and pepper.
Serve warm garnished with lots of fresh avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips and queso fresco. Enjoy!
Combine the best of light, summer eating – Salads and Grilled Meats — and you have this wonderful recipe from BuffyandGeorge.com! (GREAT website with some wonderful recipes!)
This salad makes a perfect cold meal in the summer, AND you get to keep the kitchen cool in the summer! (Well, except for the bacon that you cook in the house! But that doesn’t count!)
Quick Cooking TIp:Pound the chicken breasts to about 3/4 inch thickness for even grilling and faster cooking time.
Ingredients
5 oz package of mixed salad greens
2-4 chicken breasts (depends on how hungry you are)
6 pieces of bacon, fully cooked
1 cup strawberries, sliced
½ English cucumber, sliced in half moons
½ cup mixed nuts and seeds (cashews, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds & sunflower seeds)
Vinaigrette Ingredients
zest and juice of one lime
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp chipotle chili powder (more if you like it hot)
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp honey
pinch of salt and pepper
½ cup olive oil
Instructions
Pound the chicken breasts with a meat mallet so that they are a more uniform thickness. Lightly coat the chicken with a little vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on the grill until cooked through.
Whisk the lime juice and zest, vinegar, mustard, chipotle powder, honey, salt and pepper together in a glass bowl or measuring cup. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking constantly until the dressing is fully emulsified. You could also add everything to a mason jar and shake vigorously until mixed.
Cut the cooked chicken and bacon into bite sized pieces. Toss the salad greens with half the vinaigrette (use more if you like a lot of dressing). Serve the dressed salad topped with chicken, sliced strawberries, cucumber, bacon and smattering of nuts & seeds.
Any extra vinaigrette, chicken and bacon can be put in the fridge for salads another day. Or you can use the vinaigrette as a marinade for chicken or steak!
Chicken Salad is a favorite go-to meal in the summer – it is chilled, light, and can be as flavorful as you want! The secret to my Chicken Salad is a sweetness from touch of curry and chopped, dried cranberries. Serve it with a beautiful salad, and you have a very nice dinner!
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds boneless chicken breast halves
1/4-1/2 cups mayo (I adjust the amount based on how “wet” or “dry” I want my salad.)
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons curry (you can adjust the amount based on taste)
1/4 cup sweet vidalia onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped, dried cranberries
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Place chicken breasts in a large sauce pan, and cover with water (or chicken broth for flavor). Poach chicken over low heat, simmering until chicken is white throughout. Remove chicken to plate to cool (approx. 20 minutes). Once cool, dice chicken into 1/2 inch sized chunks.
In a large bowl, add mayo, mustard, curry, and salt and pepper to taste. Once mixed, add chopped onion, celery and cranberries. Add diced chicken and mix to fully coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate until chilled (approx. 30 mins.).
Serve on favorite crusty bread or on top of bed of favorite greens! Enjoy!
Marinades are a perfect way to take the toughness out of a piece of meat, as well as add flavor and moistness to a dish. Simple Solutions Diva has gathered some great marinades, as well as one, flavorful rub, that will add a kick to your Memorial Day grilling!
(If you need suggestions for types of beef that are tasty alternatives to more expensive cuts, check out this other SimpleSolutionsDiva.com post: Click Here.)
Simple Meat Marinade #1: (“Mike’s Marinade” – from my local Publix Meat Manager)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1/3 sugar
Fresh Ginger Root (about 1-2 inches), peeled and sliced
Meat of Choice (approx. 2-3 lbs.)
Combine all ingredients, except the meat, in a large, gallon-sized plastic bag. Add meat, seal, place in refrigerator, and let marinate at least 8 hours (even better after 24 hours!).
Remove meat and place on preheated grill – grill to your perfect temperature!
Simple Meat Marinade #2: (Adapted from Food.com recipe by Simple Solutions Diva)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced (fresh is always best, but I use Spice World’s Minced Garlic in the jar – tastes a little mellower to me)
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon soy sauce
pepper to taste
2-3 Steaks of choice
Preparation:
Add and mix all ingredients (except steaks) in gallon-sized, ziplock plastic bag. Add steaks and let marinate in refrigerator for at least 8 hours. (The longer, the better- even overnight would be terrific!)
Grill steaks to your degree of perfection! Enjoy!
Simple Fish Marinade: (From Allrecipes.com)
1 clove garlic, minced
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 (6 oz.) fillets halibut
Preparation:
Assemble garlic, oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and parsley in a stainless steel or glass bowl.
Place fish in a shallow glass pan or large plastic bag; add mixture to the fish and coat. Seal or cover and place in refrigerator for one hour, turning occasionally.
Grilling – Preheat the grill on high heat and lightly coat the grill grates with olive oil.
Remove the fish from marinade, allowing them to drain slightly. Add them to the grill; grill for approximately 5 minutes per side until fish is easily flaked with a fork.
6 chicken breasts (I use boneless, but this is just as good with bone-in)
Preparation:
Assemble all ingredients (except chicken) in a large plastic bag or shallow glass dish. Thoroughly mix together. Add chicken breasts and let marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Grill chicken as desired, basting with remaining marinade halfway through.
Asian Flair Pork Tenderloin Dry Rub: (From Simple Solutions Diva)
1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese Five Spice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste
1 Pork Tenderloin (approx. 2 lbs.)
Preparation:
Combine all spices in a bowl and mix together. With a dry hand, rub the spice mixture on both sides of the pork tenderloin. Lightly spray the pork tenderloin with olive oil spray, and then place on preheated grill (do not spray after pork is on grill – or you will have a flame thrower!). Grill tenderloin (turning halfway through) until instant meat thermometer inserted into the pork reads the inside temperature is at least 145 degrees.
