Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken Thighs

This is a skillet meal that tastes rich, but is light and healthy! It's pretty much like eating chicken thighs cooked in the infamous artichoke dip that is at every party.

Found this recipe on Instagram from @cafedelites - here is the link to her website!

Note: I don't have a skillet that is oven safe so instead of placing the pan in the oven, I transferred the chicken to a baking pan coated with tin foil (I folded up the sides a little so the sauce wouldn't escape). Anyone have an oven proof skillet that they would recommend? Help a girl out!

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken Thighs 

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

Cooking oil spray
6 skinless boneless chicken thighs (the original recipe calls for bone-in)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (9 oz) container of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 cup chicken stock
2 (9 oz) boxes of frozen artichokes, defrosted and roughly chopped*
4 cups loosely packed spinach leaves
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper to taste. Spray a large oven-proof skillet with cooking spray to coat; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken, flesh-side down, and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown; drain any excess fat.

3. Stir garlic through and fry until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes). Add in cream cheese and occasionally stir it until it begins to melt down and become thinner in consistency. Pour in the chicken broth and add the parmesan cheese.

4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Stir in artichokes and spinach; simmer until the spinach has just started to wilt.

5. Place the skillet into the preheated oven and continue to roast for 15-20 minutes (or until completely cooked through).

Serve over wild rice or whole wheat pasta!

*Original recipe called for 1 (14 oz) can of artichoke hearts in brine/water, drained and roughly chopped.

Chicken Braised in Walnut Sauce

This is an oldddd recipe from Cooking Light magazine. I used to make it all the time in college. It's an easy one-dish meal that makes you feel like a fancy-pants while eating it. Walnuts are an omega-3 bonus.

Chicken Braised in Walnut Sauce

Ingredients:

- 2 teaspoons olive oil 

- 4  (8-ounce) chicken breasts

- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 

- 1 garlic clove, minced 

- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 

- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I usually use whole wheat or spelt)

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 

- 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (water works too)

- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley 

- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 

- 1/4 teaspoon salt 

- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender. 

2. Combine flour, cinnamon and red pepper and sprinkle over walnuts; stirring to coat. Add broth and stir with a whisk, stirring constantly. Add walnuts and cook 1 minute or until toasted, stirring constantly. 

3. Return chicken to pan. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done and sauce is slightly thick.

4. Stir in parsley, vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Remove from heat and serve! Great over rice!

Italian Turkey Meatballs

My mom makes the best meatballs- so these turkey meatballs are based off her original recipe, but I swapped out some of the ingredients to make them more nutritious. This is a leaner version, but still full of flavor. I love serving them over spaghetti squash with homemade tomato sauce.

Italian Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb 94% ground turkey
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup low-fat (or regular) shredded Mozzarella cheese
5 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Salt
Pepper
Oregano

*I used my Ninja food processor to chop the onion, garlic, and garlic

Directions:

1. Add oatmeal to a food processor and blend until it becomes oat flour.
2. Lightly beat the egg in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly (don't overmix).
3. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Roll the turkey mixture into uniform balls (I made 18) and place on the baking pan. Cook for about 12 minutes. You can add them to your favorite sauce, or eat as is!

For one (out of 18) meatball: 47 calories, 2 g fat, 2 g carbohydrates, 6 grams protein

Turkey Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Bacon. Enough said.

Yes, this is turkey bacon, but it crisped up and caramelized in the oven and was absolutely delicious.

I was looking for a good recipe for bacon wrapped chicken, and a lot of them included brown sugar and chili powder. I didn't have any brown sugar, so I substituted honey. I wound up using way less sweetener than other recipes called for, and this still came out delicious!

Turkey Bacon Wrapped Chicken 

Ingredients:

3/4 lbs chicken breast, cut into 4 tenders (my tenders were 3 ounces each)
4 slices turkey bacon
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon chili powder
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Mix the honey, water, chili powder, and salt in a small bowl (until honey has dissolved).

3. Wrap each chicken tender with a piece of bacon. Dip them in the honey mixture (get it all in there!) then place on the baking pan.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bacon is crispy and the chicken is cooked through. 

Slow Cooked Salsa Chicken

I had always loved the idea of slow cookers, but never purchased one. So when I saw one on sale at Target for $15.99, I thought, "Why not?". I saw a few people on Instagram slow cooking chicken with salsa, so I thought it would be an easy recipe for my first slow cooking experience. The finished product was above and beyond my expectations. Not only was it incredibly easy and flavorful, but the chicken literally fell apart with my fork. Three ingredients, barely any prep, and it cooks itself. IT CANNOT BE SIMPLER!

Best chicken I've had in a LONG time. I served mine taco/burrito style, but this would also be great with brown rice and a vegetable.

Slow Cooked Salsa Chicken

4 (4 oz) chicken breasts
1/2 jar salsa (I used Newman's Own)
1/2 packet taco seasoning (I used low-sodium)

1. Season the chicken evenly with the taco seasoning. Place in your slow cooker. Add the salsa and and about 1/4 cup water.
2. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. That's it!

Apple Turkey Meatloaf with Maple Roasted Butternut Squash

This may be the best turkey muffin/mini meatloaf I've ever made. So moist and perfectly flavored. This recipe is perfect for the fall! You can easily make this into one large meatloaf and cook it longer, but they are so cute when they are baked in muffin tins. I HIGHLY recommend you serve this with a side of maple roasted butternut squash. Fall food party in your mouth!

                   

Apple Turkey Muffins

Ingredients:

- 1 lb lean ground turkey breast
- 1/4 cup egg whites
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped (I used my Ninja)
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- dash of pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Make sure it is mixed really well!
3. Spray a muffin tin (mine had 6 cups) with cooking spray. Evenly divide the turkey mixture into the muffin tins.
4. Bake for 25 minutes and serve!

Nutrition information for 1 turkey muffin: 149 calories, 6 grams fat,  8.5 grams carbohydrates, 15.6 grams protein

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredient:

- 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
- Cinnamon
- Sugar free syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Cover a baking pan with tin foil and coat with cooking spray. Spray with  butternut squash with cooking spray and toss in a large bowl with cinnamon (I use a lot!).
2. Baked for about 30-35 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and drizzle with a sugar free syrup. Toss to coat.

               

Tomato Orange Swai

This is a simple recipe that is packed with flavor. You can use almost any white fish for this dish. Comes together really quickly for an easy, healthy, and delicious meal!

Tomato Orange Swai

1 (4 oz) Swai filet
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1/4 large orange (2 large wedges), chopped
1 teaspoon orange zest
5 cherry tomatoes, halved
Ginger
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add the onion and cook until soft (about 3-4 minutes).
2. Add the tomatoes, oranges, orange zest, salt, pepper, and ginger. Add spices to taste; I used a dash each of salt and pepper and a few dashes of the ginger. Cook together for about 10 minutes.
3. Season the swai with salt and pepper. Add to the pan with the sauce and cook until the fish is cooked through (it will flake easily with a fork).

Chicken Sausage and Pepper Stuffed Squash

I used to make different versions of stuffed acorn squash in college, and had forgotten how much I love this meal! My favorite chicken sausage brand is Bilinki's organic chicken sausage. They are USDA certified organic, gluten, wheat, and soy free, and one of the very few brands that DO NOT use pork casing (casing is the thin "skin" that "seals" sausage). Plus they have many different, delicious flavors to choose from.

Chicken Sausage and Pepper Stuffed Squash

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash  

1/4 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 Bilinski chicken sausage sliced thin (I used the Pesto Romano flavor)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Italian seasoning

1 packet stevia 

1/3 cup Daiya Mozzarella cheese (or any shredded cheese)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake about 30-40 minutes or until soft.

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add the onions and pepper. Cook about 3-4 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the chicken sausage. 

3. While that cooks, scoop out the acorn squash, leaving the skin intact. It should resemble a bowl. Add the squash to the skillet. Add the spices, balsamic vinegar, and the stevia. Stir and cook about 3-4 minutes or until mixed well and heated through. 

4. Turn on your broiler Place the acorn squash face up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle some cheese inside the squash (reserving about half). Divide the chicken sausage mixture in half and add to each squash. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over them. Place under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts and starts to brown. 

Pumpkin Mozzarella Turkey Burgers

This are great for a healthy, quick, delicious meal. I used pumpkin to make the turkey burgers more moist, and used oatmeal as a healthy replacement for breadcrumb. I love mixing my cheese in with the other ingredients. It ensures that each bite is full of cheesy goodness. If you are dairy-free, my favorite vegan cheese is Daiya Mozzarella. It melts really well and tastes delicious! These are great served alongside some sweet potato fries!

Pumpkin Mozzarella Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lbs lean ground turkey breast (I used 99%, but 93% is fine too)
3 tablespoon egg whites (or one egg)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in one large bowl. Mix together well.
2. Preheat grill (I use my George Foreman). Form into 6 equal size patties (or 4 if you want a larger burger).
3. Grill until no longer pink (mine took about 7-8 minutes).
4. Eat!

Spaghetti Squash with Cheesy Creamy Boca Sauce!

This is one of the most fabulous comfort food-type dinners I've made in a while! This is really something you HAVE to try. I based my recipe off of this recipe by Emily Malone. Her recipe calls for mushrooms as the bulky base of the sauce, but I already had mushrooms at lunch . . . SO I replaced the mushrooms with Boca Crumbles, left out the non-dairy creamer (partially because I didn't have any) and ended up with a savory, creamy, cheesy, stick-to-your-guts sauce. Plus, I accomplished my goal of adding a "meaty" protein to round out the meal. I really liked Emily's technique for cooking the spaghetti squash; instead of scooping out the gooey seeds and membrane AFTER baking it in the oven, she cuts it open BEFORE, scoops it out, and rubs the insides with chopped garlic and a little olive oil. So I prepared mine just like that for a little over an hour and it came out perfect. While that was in the oven, I sauteed some garlic and onion in a pan with non-stick spray. I added my Boca Crumbles, cooked it for a few minutes, then poured in about 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk. I let that cook down and thicken up a little, then I added about 1 1/2 T nutritional yeast :). I added a little more almond milk (about another 1/4 cup)and 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch that I previously mixed with some water (DO NOT add the cornstarch directly to the sauce). Finally, I seasoned it with a little salt and pepper- that's it!! I must say- I never got why nutritional yeast was described as "cheesey", and now I definitely do. This sauce is the reason I will definitely be incorporating it in future recipes.