Best Chicken Noodle Soup Ever!

Ahh... Chicken Noodle Soup. The epitome of comfort food. Unless it's nasty haha... then it can only be equated with desperation i.e. quick and easy and well, I don't make it THAT often, so the kids can't complain too much. Okay, so maybe I'm the only one who HATED chicken noodle soup growing up. Seriously, how exciting can veggies you don't like and dried noodles be in a broth? But then when I was a Junior in High School my friend brought a mug of the most amazingly creamy yummy soup I had ever tasted, and my opinion was forever changed that chicken noodle soup could not only be good, but the amazing comfort food it was supposed to be. I begged my mom to get the recipe from my friend Ashley and her mom (also my friend) Myalin. Thankfully, they were happy to oblige :) Unfortunately, however, it was all guess work... a little of this and a little of that, so I was super excited when I got this recipe from my friend Christy.. the same exact recipe but with measurements!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do :)

1 chicken –boiled & boned (or about 3 breasts)

8 cups of water or the stock

1 cup celery

1 cup carrots

1 cup onions

2 cans Cream of Chicken soup

3 bouillon cubes

1 16 oz sour cream

1 pkg Old Fashioned Grandma’s Noodles (in the freezer section)

In a crock pot cook chicken, water/stock, veggies, chicken soup and bouillon cubes. One hour before serving add the noodles and right before you serve add the sour cream.

If cooking on the stove, boil chicken, water, veggies, noodles and bouillon til tender. Then add sour cream and chicken soup.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Mel from melskitchencafe.com did it again! These were a huge hit in my house (don't you just love all that color!). This recipe is super versatile, add or omit anything you want to!

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray. Cook on a griddle, each side, until browned.

Zesty Italian Chicken (Easy Peazy!!)

Comfort food. That is how Mr. Amazing described this meal! So good. So easy. Perfect!! Another freezer meal from Jessi that turned out to be a family fav and for sure going on the monthly list!

1 8 oz cream cheese

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 pkg Zesty Italian Dressing Seasoning (the packet)

3 chicken breasts

Put cream cheese, soup and Italian packet into the slow cooker on high for 30 minutes. This will soften it and make it easy to stir until well combined. Add the chicken and cook on low for 5-6 hours (this is a meal that you definitely don't want to overcook). You can serve the chicken breasts whole or do as we do and use 2 forks and pull into smaller chunks. Serve over hot rice! (We have to double this recipe for our family of 6). 

Taco Salad

Ahhh, taco salad. The food that fed my pregnant self (and got me addicted to salad) for 5 months straight with my 2nd child. This one is completely versatile. Start with the basics and expand from there! The crucial part (in my opinion) is the taco bowls. You can buy the molds I think at Walmart. (My dad bought mine over 10 years ago, I think from an As Seen On TV ad haha). Anyway, just bake your shells and get started!

Basics:

Lettuce, rinsed and chopped

Meat (seasoned hamburger, chicken, steak or pork)

Shredded Cheese

Salsa

Sour cream

Green Onions, diced

Add-ins:

Guacamole

Red Onion

Black beans

Cilantro

Pico de Gallo

And anything else you like!

Layer your salad and enjoy!  

BEST EVER!!! White Chicken Chili

Oh. My. Heck. Seriously. Heaven in bowl right here!! This is so good that I went and bought enough ingredients to make this meal at least 4 more times! My family doesn't really care for chili. I've tried numerous recipes, but unfortunately there has never been one good enough to repeat. Until now! My church was having a Halloween party and asked for people to bring in Chili for the dinner. So I went on a search to find the best chili ever. And I found it on sweetannas.com! I made it for my family a week in  before just to make sure and after my family ate the entire pot in 20 minutes, I knew I had a winner. I also made 2 more batches for the freezer for even less, quicker gratification :) (Note to Wyoming, USA friends: I could only find these beans at Walmart).

3 chicken breasts (raw or cooked), cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans white beans, drained

1 regular can pink beans (pinquitos)

1 large can diced green chilies

1 cup frozen corn

2 cups chicken stock

1 jalapeno, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup finely crushed tortilla chips

2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

Throw all the ingredients (except for the crushed tortilla chips and cheese) into your slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. During the last 30 minutes, stir in the crushed tortilla chips and the shredded cheese and heat until cheese is melted and the chili has thickened up. Serve with sour cream, chips, salsa or whatever else you want!

Slow Cooker Fajitas

If your fam is anything like mine, Fajitas are a required food at least once a month. Nothing beats the flavor of marinated lime chicken, hot off the grill with fresh peppers and onions slightly sauteed for flavor but still with a perfect crunch, all perfectly placed on a grilled tortilla with sour cream, cheese and fresh tomatoes! 

But unfortunately for us, grilled chicken hot off the grill isn't always an option (Mr. Amazing isn't always home on time :). And because I had a jam-packed day and soccer practices in the early evening, I decided to try a crock-pot version instead!

I made up a marinade from Weber I got on clearance at Smith's and poured it over frozen chicken and strips of bell peppers and onion rings. After 7 hours, the chicken shredded perfectly and was ready for a browned tortilla.

Verdict: It's a keeper. I still say hot off the grill wins by a few points, and in the future I think I will just do the chicken in the slow cooker and then saute the peppers and onions right before we eat! But it's definitely easier and quicker, so I'll definitely be repeating it!

3 chicken breasts

3-4 bell peppers, cut in strips 

1 large onion, cut into rings

Tortillas

Sour cream

Cheese

Chopped tomatoes

Put chicken into slow cooker and cover with your fav marinade. Cook on low for 7-8 hours and shred. You can either add the onions and bell peppers with the chicken at the beginning or saute them right before you eat in a pan. Heat up a skillet on medium heat and brown the tortillas on each side. Serve with all your fav toppings!

Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Photo from thecountrycook.net

Her pic is way better than mine and she deserves all the credit for this meal!

So I found this recipe from Brandie at thecountrycook.net, and my mouth immediately began to water. Just the name of it made me want it instantly,  but the picture got my mouth watering! I couldn't wait to try it out on my family the next day, and I have to say, THANK YOU BRANDIE! My family snarfed this down. I kid you not. They ate their fill before soccer practices and when we got back 2 hours later, they finished it off. Mr. Amazing will eat anything I cook and is usually accompanied by a "thank you" and hopefully "that was good." Well this one got me one heck of a kiss and a raving review that included the desire for it to be made again, and soon! This is an incredible make-over on normal tater-tot casserole recipes and it has made the dang good recipe list!

Ingredients:

1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tater tots

1 (3 oz.)bag bacon pieces

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup milk

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Layer half of the frozen tater tots on the

bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the bacon pieces. Now top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Add diced chicken on top.  Season with salt & pepper. Now add 1/3 of the bacon pieces and another 1/3 of shredded cheese. Put the rest of the frozen tater tots on top.

Finish with the remaining 1/3 cheddar cheese and remaining 1/3 of bacon pieces. Pour 3/4 cup milk all over the top. Cover and cook on low about 4-5 hours.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Corn & Black Beans

From overthebigmoon.com, this one is a keeper! Holy buckets! Just looking at the picture makes my mouth water! This is definitely going to be doubled for an extra freezer meal! My family loved this one served on heated tortillas with all the toppings. The only thing I would add is some fresh cilantro at the end when it is done.

1 ½ lbs chicken breast

Juice from 2 limes

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn

2 minced garlic cloves

½ red onion, chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with tortillas and toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, salsa and cheese, and fresh chopped cilantro.

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken

This is the easiest meal I think I have ever made! I kid you not! I threw the chicken in still frozen, opened 2 cans and started the slow cooker! Eight hours later, with some cream cheese and chips, I had a meal that my family literally devoured! Baby doll took one look at it and said "I don't like this stuff" (granted, it's not the prettiest looking stuff in the world) but after one bite, she changed her mind and even came back for a big helping of seconds. So glad for another dang good recipe!!

1-15 oz can Pinto Beans

1- 4 oz can chopped green chilies

1 pkg. of taco seasoning

2-3 chicken breasts (depending on size)

1 pkg. cream cheese

Add beans and chilies with juice, chicken and seasoning in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. An hour before it is done shred the chicken and add the cream cheese. Serve with hot tortilla chips, rice or on tortillas.

Asian Summer Salad

The first time I tried this, my friend Debra had brought it over after I'd had my son. I've never liked Ramen noodles or cared for cabbage, but one bite of this changed my whole perspective! I seriously could not stop eating it. Of course I had to immediately get the recipe and start bombarding my family with my newest love affair every other week. Seven years later, this is still one of our fav summer salads (especially with a nice juicy hot-off-the-grill hamburger!).

1 head cabbage, shredded or 1 bag of Coleslaw

5 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

2 packages Chicken Top Ramen uncooked, broken into pieces

Mix all of these ingredients together

In a separate bowl combine:

1/2 cup oil

4 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp pepper

2 envelopes seasoning packets from the Top Ramen

Combine all and pour over salad 1-2 hours before serving.

For another variation, add cooked chicken for a one bowl meal!

River Chicken

Don't be fooled by the simpleness of this recipe! My friend Lilly's dad was a river guide years ago and part of his responsibilities including providing lunch for the people on the raft, so he would make them River Chicken. This seriously couldn't get any easier (or much cheaper for that matter), and yet it is so satisfying! My husband is ecstatic every time he comes and smells this cooking! What's great about it is that if it gets done cooking before you are ready to eat, just fold the tinfoil up on and over itself to trap the moisture inside. And its just as good cold for leftovers.

Bone-in chicken (any part works so choose what your fam likes the best or what's on sale :)

Lawry's Season Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tinfoil on a cookie sheet and place chicken on top. Sprinkle Lawry's season salt generously all over the top of the chicken. Bake, uncovered, for 60 minutes. Enjoy one of the juiciest, crispiest pieces of baked chicken you'll ever have!

Chicken Carbonara

Okay, this one is seriously to die for! It's totally ruined my kids on a red sauce spaghetti. This recipe is full of calories and flavor, and it is worth every. single. bite. No joke! And with pre-cooked/frozen chicken (or a Rotisserie chicken from the store), this meal only takes 15 minutes to whip up! 

1 pkg (14 oz) spaghetti

8 slices bacon, crumbled (or buy the pre-cooked packaged bacon in the store)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups cooked chicken

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups whipping cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook spaghetti, drain. Add the onion, garlic and bacon. Add the whipping cream and stir everything. Then add the Parmesan cheese and stir frequently for about 5 minutes (or until thickened up). Serve with a salad and french bread.

Sante Fe Summer Salad

And yet another meal to die for from Jen!! (what meal of Jen's isn't to die for? :) This one is definitely in the top 3. We eat it for sure once a month and it's no surprise at all when we have it twice in a month. It's THAT good! Whenever I get chicken breasts on sale, Mr. Amazing cooks it up to perfection (usually with Cavendar's seasoning) and then we dice and freeze it in 2 cup portions.    With that it takes only a few minutes to prepare this meal!

1 head iceburg lettuce, chopped

1 can black beans, drained/rinsed

1 can sweet corn, drained

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/4 cup red onion (optional)

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

Cheese (your choice on flavor and amount)

Chicken, cooked, cubed (usually 2 cups is enough)

Mix all together and eat immediately. Serve with crushed tortilla chips and dressing.

Dressing: 1 part Ranch to 1 part BBQ sauce. (So like 1/2 cup ranch, 1/2 cup bbq, etc). Mix J

Fajita Marinade

I'm so glad I've been able to try so many marinades, good and bad, in order to bring you the best! This one is seriously top notch! You could totally freeze this, too! Our favorite is to use this recipe for quesedillas and fajitas! It's also great for taquitos and Jen's salad! (Another allrecipes.com favorite!)

¼ cup lime juice

1/3 cup water

2 tbsp oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp salt

½ tsp liquid smoke

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp pepper

Mix everything, add chicken and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

Best Chicken Ever!

I got this meal from Sarah when we first moved to Wyoming. I seriously thought I was in heaven. This meal is so easy and so dang good!! It's my constant fall back when I want to make a great meal that tastes like I slaved (and wow the company) but really didn't :)

3-4 Chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

½ cup real mayo

½ cup sour cream

1-2 tsp lemon juice

¾ cup grated cheese

Crushed corn flakes

Put chicken in bottom of 9x13. Sprinkle salt, pepper and paprika over breasts. Mix ingredients and spread over chicken. Sprinkle with corn flakes. Bake at 300 for 1 ½ hours. Serve over rice and with salad.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I have a lot of dang good recipes... but this one, this is definitely in the top 3! Seriously to die for! Another recipe from Jessi's sis-in-law, it's one that will be devoured (so triple the recipe and freeze up a few extra meals). We seriously eat this one a minimum of once a month but more like 2 and 3 times a month. My whole fam loves these, they are ridiculously easy and quick to make, freeze up beautifully and satisfy perfectly!

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (pre-cook seasoned chicken, shred and freeze for an even quicker version)
1 C grated pepper jack cheese
flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, then roll it up as tight as you can. If you are amazing, you'll get about 20 taquitos. I always seem to overfill and have to double the recipe (except keep only 2 cups shredded chicken) to get about 22.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 10 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.