We're Parents

Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich

by Leave a Comment

This chicken and waffles grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate chicken and waffles sandwich. No matter, if you’ve had the infamous chicken and waffles (with hot sauce or gravy depending on your location), you’ll want to dive into this grilled cheese sandwich immediately! 

It’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese Week here on our site and we know you are ready for more deliciousness.  We are so excited to jump right into giving you another mouthwatering grilled cheese recipe too.  Today, we present the chicken and waffles grilled cheese recipe.

Now, depending on where you live, you may have chicken and waffles served with hot sauce, or a spicy syrup, or you may have it served with mashed potatoes and gravy. Either way you prefer it, it’s all delicious.  And, if you’re on the fence about trying it, just stop.

Chicken and Waffles may sound like an odd combination, but really it’s not. Sweet bread and deliciously fried chicken go hand in hand. Even syrup drizzled across the chicken is a delicious idea…I PROMISE…I would never lie to you guys.

HOW TO MAKE A CHICKEN AND WAFFLES GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH RECIPE

This chicken and waffles grilled cheese recipe takes two Belgian waffles (we use this waffle maker) and cooks them in a skillet with butter for a few minutes. Then, in between them layers a copious amount of mozzarella cheese, fried chicken tenders, crispy bacon, lettuce, and our own honey mustard BBQ sauce. Once layered, we put this grilled cheese in the oven and bake until it’s all warm and has melty, gooey, cheese. After that, you want to cut it in half down the middle, making two sandwiches. Serve alongside maple syrup for dipping. It was so delicious and a must try for everyone.

What is a good side dish for chicken and waffles?

While we believe that this grilled cheese sandwich could be served entirely on it’s own, we know some may want some ideas for sides that would be great on this!

No matter what you decide to serve alongside it, this is one of the best grilled cheese recipes that you are going to find around.

0 from 0 votes
Print
Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

This chicken and waffles grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate chicken and waffles sandwich. No matter, if you've had the infamous chicken and waffles (with hot sauce or gravy depending on your location), you'll want to dive into this grilled cheese sandwich immediately! 

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 sandwiches
Calories: 1099 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 Belgian waffles
  • 4-5 chicken fingers, cooked
  • 1/2 cup shredded lettuce (or one large iceberg lettuce)
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked
  • 6 slices Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/8 cup Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce
  • syrup (optional)
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

  2. Spread butter across one side of both of the waffles. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until that side is golden brown (2-3 minutes)

  3. Remove from heat and layer 3 slices of cheese, remaining ingredients, and remaining cheese. 

  4. Place sandwich on a baking sheet and place in oven for 7-10 minutes or until warmed and cheese is melted. 

  5. Remove from oven and slice in half to make 2 sandwiches. 

  6. Serve.

Recipe Notes

*Nutritional facts are only estimates.  Please use your own ingredients to get a more definite amount. Syrup not included in estimates. 

Nutrition Facts
Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (1 half)
Calories 1099 Calories from Fat 567
% Daily Value*
Fat 63g97%
Saturated Fat 27g169%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 209mg70%
Sodium 1577mg69%
Potassium 682mg19%
Carbohydrates 74g25%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 55g110%
Vitamin A 1090IU22%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 435mg44%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pin this Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich for later! 

Dairy Free Baked Chicken Quesadillas

by Leave a Comment

These dairy-free baked chicken quesadillas as so insanely delicious, they’ll have you forgetting that you’re even missing any dairy. Try out these delicious stuffed quesadillas today! 

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ProgressIsPerfection #CBias #CollectiveBias

Even though I loved dairy, when we had our first baby, Larisha had to go dairy free. Obviously, she wasn’t going to cook multiple meals when it was just her, I and a tiny newborn, so subsequently I went dairy free also. I was surprised how easy this little switch could be. I thought it was going to be miserable, but it was really quite simple. One of our favorite meals quickly became chicken, bean, and avocado quesadillas. Surprisingly, the avocado actually binds the tortilla shells together like cheese would do and it’s absolutely delicious!

How to make a dairy free baked chicken quesadilla?

First, we start by soaking the chicken in Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk for 30 minutes.  After that, we dredge the chicken in a combination of flour, bread crumbs, and taco seasoning. We then baked the chicken for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Then, it’s time to put the quesadilla together. The topping possibilities are endless, but the basic of this recipe is a 10″ tortilla, avocado, chicken, and black beans. Other toppings may include: salsa or tomatoes, jalapeños, corn, cilantro, onions, and more.

This one dairy-free recipe seriously made my transition to a healthier lifestyle of much easier! It’s a must have recipe. If you are also gluten-free, you can try this on a corn tortilla, but just be extra careful when flipping since corn tortillas never hold up as well as flour.

Making Life Easier

Another thing that has made parenting easier recently is learning about Walmart’s online grocery pick up. It’s completely free as long as you purchase at least $30 in groceries. I was able to easily choose everything I needed and schedule a time and day for my pickup. It’s available everyday from 8am-8pm at my location (check your location to verify hours). Once I arrived at Wal-mart, I found the large orange pick-up sign and pulled into a parking spot designated for pick-up. Once there, I was able to call and say that I was there and they brought all my items out to my car for me.

For our Dairy-free baked chicken quesadillas, we use Silk Unsweetened Almondmilk. It’s both dairy-free and lactose-free and has a great wholesome taste that our whole family loves. Feeling and eating healthier doesn’t have to be hard, and Silk’s Progress to Perfection helps along the way.  We’ve always touted our “semicruchyish” journey, where we believe everyone can make small steps towards a better, healthier, more eco-friendly lifestyle and that’s just what this Silk program aims to accomplish.  That small victories are still victories. So start by swapping out your milk and you’re one step closer!

For our Wal-mart Online Grocery Pick-up we were able to get unsweetened almondmilk for our quesadilla recipe, along with dark chocolate almondmilk and Silk Vanilla Almond Dairy – Free Yogurt Alternative, which pairs great with fresh fruit on top!

0 from 0 votes
Print
Dairy Free Baked Chicken Quesadillas
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

These dairy-free baked chicken quesadillas as so insanely delicious, they'll have you forgetting that you're even missing any dairy. Try out these delicious stuffed quesadillas today! 

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 quesadillas
Calories: 501 kcal
Author: Andrew
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Silk Unsweetened Almondmilk
  • 2 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp homemade taco seasoning
  • 4 10" flour tortillas
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 cup black beans
Optional Toppings
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1/2 cup red onions, diced
  • 1/2 cup salsa (or diced tomatoes)
  • 1 jalapeno, sliced thin
Instructions

  1. Soak cubed chicken in almond milk for 30 minutes. 

  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

  3. In a bowl, mix together the flour, breadcrumbs, and taco seasoning. 

  4. Drain any remaining almondmilk from the bowl after 30 minutes. Dredge the chicken cubes in the flour mixture and placed on a lightly greased baking sheet. 

  5. Baked chicken for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and reaches a temperature of 165 degrees. 

  6. Remove from oven. 

  7. Using a fork, smash the avocados until no large chunks remain. 

  8. On one tortilla, spread 1/4 of the smashed avocados across the entire tortilla. 

  9. Add 1/4 of the baked chicken and 1/4 of the beans onto one side of the tortilla. 

  10. Add any optional toppings you may want. 

  11. Fold tortilla in half. 

  12. Place tortilla in a large skillet over medium low heat. 

  13. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Or until golden brown. 

  14. Remove and repeat the process with remaining ingredients. 

  15. Serve alongside a side of salsa. 

Recipe Notes

*Nutritional facts are only estimates and do not include any optional toppings. 

Nutrition Facts
Dairy Free Baked Chicken Quesadillas
Amount Per Serving (1 quesadilla)
Calories 501 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 593mg26%
Potassium 938mg27%
Carbohydrates 56g19%
Fiber 12g50%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 225IU5%
Vitamin C 11.1mg13%
Calcium 233mg23%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pin this delicious Dairy Free Baked Chicken Quesadilla for later!  

Chicken Quinoa Bowl

by 1 Comment

This Chicken Quinoa Bowl is a healthy alternative to rice bowls and a great, protein packed dinner option!

Disclosure: This Chicken Quinoa Bowl shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Mazola® Corn Oil. All opinions are mine alone. #SimpleSwap #CollectiveBias

chicken quinoa bowl

Since having kids, our life has been all “semicrunchyish”. It’s where we are working to make small changes one at a time to live a better and healthier life. This lifestyle is also teaching our children to make healthier choices from the start. One easy swap we made was to stop deep frying things and using butter so often. When cooking chicken like in this chicken quinoa bowl, we use an oil, like Mazola® Corn Oil, for grilling indoors. You only need a small amount. A clinical study showed Mazola Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, see Mazola.com.

Another easy swap came a few years ago when Larisha told me she was making quinoa for dinner. Keen-What? She was all, “Don’t worry, it’s fine.” Whenever she says that, I know to worry. Dinner is usually going to end up being eggs or a smoothie because she’s experimenting and well, I don’t like experiments. Surprisingly, this “keen-wha” turned out delicious.

We’ve been eating quinoa for awhile now since then and we actually prefer it to other starches. It was one of the first changes that we made to living a less indulgent life and it’s completely stuck with us. What we’ve found works best is to make small changes and swaps one by one instead of drastic shifts. This helps to get used to things gradually instead of suddenly so much and it becoming overwhelming.

cooking healthier meals

How Long Does It Take To Cook Quinoa?

One of the reasons we love this chicken quinoa bowl we’re sharing with you today is because you can cook it fast. Traditionally, rice takes upwards of 40 minutes. However, quinoa can be ready in as little as 15 minutes. You always want to rinse quinoa to remove the coating. The coating can make quinoa taste soapy or sometimes bitter depending on your taste buds and no one wants that. Then, you have two options:

how to make a quinoa bowl

  1. Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa to 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Then, let cook for 15-20 minutes (until no liquid is remaining).
  2. Our preferred method is to toast the quinoa and add some flavor. Using a bit of oil, like Mazola Corn Oil, sauté onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add in the rinsed quinoa and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Then, add chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. And let cook for 15-20 minutes (until no liquid is remaining).

easy chicken quinoa bowl

Chicken Quinoa Bowl

This recipe is a great way to make a better-for-you dish this New Year. Perfectly cooked quinoa is topped with chicken seasoned and grilled in corn oil. Paired alongside are black beans, your favorite fresh slaw recipe, corn salsa, avocado, and cilantro. To top it off, a few fresh squeezes of lime juice to have the absolutely perfect dish. Quinoa boosts higher dietary fiber and protein than white or brown rice making it healthier for you. Using a low-sodium chicken broth to cook the quinoa adds in flavor with the added salt content.   Additionally, cooking the chicken in a bit of corn oil versus butter or another fat and grilling instead of frying yields a healthier meal all around.

simple chicken quinoa bowl recipe

0 from 0 votes
Print
Chicken Quinoa Bowl
Author: Andrew
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp Mazola® Corn Oil divided
  • 1/2 cup sweet onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup quinoa rinsed
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 lb chicken breasts cubed or small slices
  • 1 tbsp chicken rub seasoning
  • Optional Toppings: corn salsa fresh slaw, avocado slices, black beans, chopped red pepper, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, lime wedges, corn vinaigrette or dressing
Instructions
  1. In a sauce pan, add 1 tbsp corn oil on medium heat.
  2. Add in the onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
  3. Add in the rinsed quinoa and stir constantly to toast for 2 more minutes.
  4. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  5. Add lid and reduce heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes until no cooking liquid remains.
  6. While quinoa is cooking, season cut chicken breasts with chicken rub seasoning.
  7. In a grill pan, heat remaining tbsp of corn oil on medium heat.
  8. Add chicken and cook for 8-10 minutes or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165.
To Assemble Your Chicken Quinoa Bowl
  1. First layer quinoa on the bottom of your bowl.
  2. Then, add your chicken.
  3. Next, add your desired toppings. In the photos shown, we used a fresh broccoli slaw, corn salsa, black beans, cilantro, avocado slices, and topped with lime juice and a sweet corn vinaigrette.

Mazola® Corn Oil can be found nationwide. It’s made of 100% pure oil with no additives. It’s also cholesterol free making it better-for-you. One of the best things about using a cooking oil is that its smoke point is 450°F. This mean that it’s great for high heat applications like stir-fry or sautéing. The 40 oz. bottle can be found in most major grocery stores, so head to your local store and grab a bottle today.

chicken quinoa bowl with mazola

How To Slow Cook A Whole Chicken

by 7 Comments

If you’ve ever wondered how to slow cook a whole chicken, we’ve got the answers here for you today.

how to slow cook a whole chicken

*Disclosure: Affiliate links contained in this post. We receive a small commission for purchases and thank you for helping us continue to run our site.

Ever since I became a mom, my daily goal is to work smarter, not harder.  I want our days to be easy. As often as I can remember, I throw meals together in our slow cooker. My mom did this growing up and now I love doing it too. One of the best things to make in the slow cooker is a whole chicken. It’s an easy way to get protein for multiple meals cooked up and who doesn’t love the taste of a slow cooked chicken.

For us, a slow cooked chicken is enough for two dinners and usually lunch two times for one of us. Plus, we reuse the bones to make bone broth. It’s a win win at such a low cost. If you are looking for a low cost meal to stretch your budget, this is it.

can you slow cook a whole chicken

How long does it take to cook a whole chicken in a crock pot?

You can cook a whole chicken in a crock pot on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Personally, we prefer the lower, longer method because we feel like the chicken is really able to absorb more flavor. As with everything, your exact cooking time with vary on how large of a chicken you purchased. Chicken should reach an internal temperature in the breast of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

how long does it take to cook a whole chicken in a crockpot

How do you slow cook chicken?

It’s so easy. Stuff the inside of the chicken with garlic, onions, celery, and carrots. Then use a mixture of seasonings and rub the chicken. Place the raw chicken inside of a slow cooker and cook 4-8 hours until your chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

how do you slow cook a whole chicken

what do you use to slow cook a whole chicken

whole chicken recipe

0 from 0 votes
Print
How To Slow Cook A Whole Chicken
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 Whole Chicken roughly 2.5-4lbs
  • 4 large stalks of celery
  • 6 large carrots
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 10 cloves of garlic peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp chili powder
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, mix together the paprika, italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and chili powder.
  2. Evenly rub the spice blend on both sides and in the inside of the chicken.
  3. Place chicken into the slow cooker.
  4. Roughly chop all the vegetables.
  5. Stuff a variety of all the vegetables into the chicken and place any remaining vegetables into the slow cooker. Add bay leaves.
  6. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
  7. Chicken should be at least 165 degrees F to eat.
  8. Serve & enjoy!

slow cooker chicken

How do you use slow cooked chicken?

After the chicken is cooked you can do a number of things with it.  Growing up, my mom would shred the chicken, use the broth to make gravy and pour it all over biscuits.
Pro Tip: Use two forks and pull away from each other to shred the chicken easier. 
 I love doing that, but I also love adding it into salads, making chicken salad, pulled BBQ chicken, and so much more! Because the chicken is so soft, it’s also amazing in quesadillas or tacos.
easy whole chicken recipes
 **The pictures below were the original pictures for this How to Slow Cook a Whole Chicken recipe, posted on 9/17/2014, which you may have seen floating around Pinterest.  It’s the same recipe, we’ve just gotten a lot better at photography! crockpot chicken slow cooker chicken
how to use chicken from whole chicken recipe

 

Jerk Chicken Quesadillas

by Leave a Comment

These jerk chicken quesadillas are the perfect summer lunch or dinner recipe!

I really hate to admit it, but before Andrew and I got together, I had never had jerk chicken before.  Shoot, I had never had jerk anything before. Now, it’s a staple at any family function with Andrew’s family and I’m in love.  Admittedly, I was a bit nervous before trying, because I’ve heard jerk can be insanely spicy and while I like spice, I didn’t like my mouth on fire. Luckily, jerk, to me, is the perfect balance.

For the longest time, I was terrified to even attempt to make jerk.  I mean Andrew’s parents are Jamaican.  How do I even compete with that?  When I first made jerk chicken pizza, Andrew laughed.  Before he even tried it, he said there was no way that it was going to taste anything remotely like jerk chicken he was used to eating.  Much to his surprise, he loved it.  We’ve made that pizza so many times.

Then, one day, my friend was like, “OMG, you need to make jerk chicken quesadillas”, and I was all, “OMG, we do.” You guys…

JERK CHICKEN QUESADILLAS. 

Life happened and we’ve ended up pushing off this jerk chicken quesadilla recipe forever, but….BUT….here it is. And it was just as magical as the pizza. Maybe even more so. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy wrapped into a delicious flour tortilla and then grilled to perfection. I love that they are handheld pockets of tastebud joy. Added to the fact that both my children actually loved them and that’s the perfect combination of a win-win in our house.  These will definitely be going into our menu rotation ASAP.

Do me one favor before you grab this recipe.  Do not.  I repeat DO. NOT. YOU. EVEN. DARE. try to make this recipe with marinating the chicken for at least 8 hours. Make this ahead a day or two but don’t try to do it for less. Pretty, pretty please 🙂

0 from 0 votes
Print
Jerk Chicken Quesadillas
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
Marinade
  • 3 tbsp Jerk chicken seasoning
  • Juice from 1 Lime
  • 2 tbsp Pineapple Orange juice
  • 1 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 boneless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
Quesadillas
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup Red onion diced
  • 1 Green pepper diced
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup fresh pineapple diced + 2 more 1/2 inch slices
  • 10 inch tortilla shells
  • plain Greek yogurt optional
  • lime wedges optional
Instructions
  1. Mix all marinade ingredients together, except chicken, and whisk until well combined.
  2. Add chicken and combine well.
  3. Add to ziplock bag or tightly sealed container and refrigerate overnight (at least 8-12 hours).
  4. In a large skillet, over medium heat, saute half the peppers and onions for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Add entire container of chicken mixture.
  6. Chop the 2 pineapple slices into large chunks and toss into skillet.
  7. Cook chicken thoroughly, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
  8. Remove from heat. Remove large chunks of pineapple.
  9. Assemble the quesadillas by evenly spreading out the chicken mixture, red onions, green peppers, mozzarella cheese, and diced pineapple,
  10. Once assembled, in a clean skillet, cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until the tortilla is golden brown and cheese has melted.
  11. Serve with lime wedges and plain Greek yogurt if desired.

Enjoy!

Dairy Free Peach Mango Yogurt Chicken

by 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DairyFreeGoodness #CollectiveBias

Dairy Free Peach Mango Yogurt Chicken with a Peach Mango Chutney.

dairy-free-peach-mango-yogurt-chicken

I know, there’s a word in there that is throwing off your idea of whether you want to try this recipe or not. The answer is yes.  Yes, you do want to try this recipe. I promise it’s not as crazy as you may actually think it is either. The inspiration behind this idea actually came from my friend Amiyrah, and I too thought the idea of yogurt chicken was baffling. However, the more I considered the idea, the more I became okay with the thought of it.

I mean, we put creamed soup on chicken, we put sour cream on chicken, we put butter on chicken, so why not yogurt? Once I finally got the courage to try it, I was blown away. However, I still had to convince Andrew. He gets home later than we eat and when I told him what it was, his picky behind was like, nope, not eating it. Eventually, I got him to try it! And guess what! He liked it!

dairy-free-peach-mango-yogurt-chicken

The thing is, we’ve only ever used plain Greek yogurt to make our yogurt chicken. I wanted to be bold and adventurous and try new flavors. When I saw Silk Dairy-Free yogurt alternative, I knew that we immediately needed to try it.  The delicious taste and creamy texture make it the perfect topping for any meal.

I am always trying to figure out flavorful recipes for friends who are dairy free because I know how hard it can be to find them. I was dairy free for 6 months after each pregnancy until our girls outgrew their dairy intolerance. Even now, my close friend is searching for dairy free meals for her family.

The result. Perfection.

dairy-free-peach-mango-yogurt-chicken

dairy-free-peach-mango-yogurt-chicken

dairy-free-peach-mango-yogurt-chicken

This well seasoned chicken is smothered in Peach Mango Silk Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative (made with soy milk) and then topped with a flavor-packed spicy peach mango chutney that will blow your taste buds away.

dairy-free-peach-mango-yogurt-chicken

dairy-free-peach-mango-yogurt-chicken

The taste together is really impeccable and I know we will have this so many more times in the future. This recipe would also be amazing on top of pork chops as well.

dairy-free-peach-mango-yogurt-chicken

0 from 0 votes
Print
Dairy Free Peach Mango Yogurt Chicken
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
for Peach Mango Chutney
  • 1 fresh mangos ripe but not too soft, peeled and cubed
  • 1 fresh peach skin removed and cubed
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 medium sweet onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup red sweet pepper finely diced
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1/2 cup orange peach mango juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon yellow curry powder
  • pink salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • zest from 1/2 large orange
  • 1/3 cup golden raisins
for seasoned chicken
  • 4 large boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 container Silk Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative Peach Mango flavor
  • 1 teaspoon chicken rub
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
for Peach Mango Chutney
  1. In a large skillet, melt coconut oil over medium heat.
  2. Once melted, add all ingredients except the mangoes, peaches, and raisin.
  3. Cook down for 5 minutes.
  4. Stir.
  5. Turn down heat to low and add in peaches and mangoes.
  6. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
  7. Add in raisins and good another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. Remove from heat and let cool.
for seasoned chicken
  1. Combine all seasoned together well and rub into each chicken breast on both sides
  2. Smoother chicken with Silk Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative, Peach Mango flavor
  3. Cook chicken at medium high 5 minutes on each side or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached.
  4. Top with Peach Mango Chutney and serve.
Recipe Notes

Serve on a bed of arugula

Silk Dairy-Free Yogurt Alternative is available at your local Walmart store. It comes in the Peach Mango flavor that we showcase here, as well as Vanilla, Blueberry, and Strawberry. You can’t even tell the difference from your favorite dairy brand. Grab some today! Learn more about the new products and see other Silk deliciousness here.

Walnut, Grape, and Chicken Salad

by Leave a Comment

homemade-Walnut-Grapes-and-Chicken-Salad

I know someone who’s child started school today.  I almost couldn’t believe it. It’s August 1st! Still much a summer day for us and not thinking about school in the slightest little bit. I do understand both sides of the argument. Schooling for most of the year helps retain memory. However, we’re more on the side that kids need a life outside of school.I remember growing up when didn’t start school until after Labor Day. We are draining our poor kids.

But I digress.

I know that as we prepare for homeschool preschool this fall that it will be here in the blink of an eye. As the date we are starting school nears, I know that I’m going to need to stay on top of lunches.  I also know that many of you may be [desperately] searching out ideas as well. Kids get bored of things easily. Kids are picky.  As parents, we need things that are quick, simple, and that don’t need to be warmed up.

One thing I’ve found is that the more I get Skibbles involved in the cooking, the more she is likely to try things.  This is the one piece of advice that I give to all parents when they ask me how I get my children to eat so well.  It only makes sense really. Of course they are going to want to try what they just made. Don’t you?

mini chef mondays chicken salad

It’s no different when it comes to meals like chicken salad.  This is actually one of my go to recommendations for busy parents.  It’s simple to make, doesn’t need to be heated, and is great on the go for either school lunch or a dinner while in between sports.

One of my best friend’s introduced me to putting grapes in my chicken salad. Life was forever changed in that moment. I think that’s what made us best friends. Skibbles and I have made this recipe numerous times, but we recently made it together to share with all of you. If your school is nut-free, you can remove the walnuts altogether, or use sunflower seeds for an extra crunchy.

Walnut-Grapes-and-Chicken-Salad-recipe

We hope you enjoy this recipe we’ve made!

Walnut-Grapes-and-Chicken-Salad

0 from 0 votes
Print
Walnut, Grape, and Chicken Salad
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 lb chicken breast cooked, cubed
  • 3 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 30 red grapes quarted
  • 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp mayo
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients.
  2. Stir until very well combined.
  3. Serve on desired bread or by itself.
  4. Refrigerate leftovers.

how-to-make-Walnut-Grapes-and-Chicken-Salad

Mini Chef Mondays Team

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

    1. 10+ Kid Approved School Snacks // Momma Lew
    2. Cinnamon Yogurt Dippers // Finding Zest
    3. Walnut, Grape, and Chicken Salad // We’re Parents
    4. Train Snack for your Thomas Obsessed Kiddo // Eating Richly
    5. Dragonfruit Smoothie Bowl // Vegging at the Shore
    6. Healthy & Eco- Friendly Back to School Tips // O’Boy! Organic
    7. Easy Cucumber Veggie Dip // My Mini Adventurer


Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

by 1 Comment

Broccoli-and-Cheese-Stuffed-Chicken

WATCH US MAKE THIS BROCCOLI AND CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN VIA PERISCOPE.

I remember the first time I had a stuffed chicken breast.  I know, I know.  What’s the big deal?  It may not seem like a big deal, but when you grow up in a house with frozen dinners and Chef Boyardee pizza, stuffed chicken is a pretty big deal!!  Now granted, the first time I had broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken, it came frozen in a box and just needed reheating.  Still…it was delicious. I remember in college buying it frozen in a box often. Fast forward to now and we love making it from scratch.

In all honesty, it’s something I forget to make most of the time, but we devour it every time that I do remember.  Seasoned chicken breast with just a hint of spice, tender bits of steamed broccoli, four different cheeses….yes, FOUR!…and all over a grill.  Yum!! You really can’t ask for a better meal.

In the summertime, when we don’t like to eat a ton of food, this serves as our entire meal. No sides. Just delicious broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken. Both the girls gobble it up which I naturally love since they are getting a healthy source of so many great things – protein, dairy, and vegetables. Skibbles, our toddler, loves mixing up the broccoli and cheeses together together. It’s a simple task for her to help and feel involved with the cooking process.

Broccoli-and-Cheese-Stuffed-Chicken-recipe

I typically would just bake this in the past but this year I decided to try it out on the grill.  Life changing y’all. It was so delicious. Andrew is obsessed with all things grilled, so when I made this, already one of his favorites, on the grill, his mind was blown.

Making homemade broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken isn’t even as long as you may think either. Check out our video of us making it and then grab the recipe for yourself.

0 from 0 votes
Print
Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • Chicken Rub Recipe
  • 1 head of broccoli florets steamed
  • 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese softened
  • 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
  • toothpicks
Instructions
  1. Preheat grill.
  2. Place chicken breasts into a ziploc bag and pound to 1/2 inch thick.
  3. Remove chicken from bag and liberally season each side with chicken rub.
  4. In a small bowl mix together broccoli and all four cheeses until well combined.
  5. Place a 1/4 of the mixture on one end of chicken breast and roll up, securing with toothpicks.
  6. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
  7. Cook on grill for 5-7 minutes. Then flip.
  8. Cook other side for an additional 5-7 minutes or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165° F.
  9. Remove from grill and serve.

**Tip: Soak toothpicks in water for at least 5 minutes so they don’t catch on fire in the grill.

We hope you enjoy!

Chicken Spice Rub

by Leave a Comment

 

Homemade-Chicken-Spice-Rub

Growing up, I ate a lot of frozen and pre-packaged meals. It was rare that we had a complete meal that was from scratch.  It was even more rare if the spices used to make that meal went beyond salt and pepper. Andrew had a completed different experience.  It was rare that they didn’t have a meal prepared from scratch. So when we got together and I was cooking most meals out of boxes, he wasn’t thrilled. I had learned how to cook a few things on my own in college, but it wasn’t extensive. I set out a new goal to start learning how to cook.  I utilized cookbooks and Google (this was Pre-Pinterest) and slowly started to learn.

Fast forward to present time.

I still don’t really feel like I know what I’m doing and I know I still have a lot to learn in the kitchen, but I can make my way around enough to share some pretty amazing recipe creations here with you guys. I cook dinner almost every night (we rarely eat out).  I love sharing recipes with each of you because even though I’m still learning, I believe that meals bring families together and it takes a village to raise our families. Sharing these recipes gives me joy in knowing that I may be helping someone out a bit.

This homemade chicken spice rub was kind of a fluke accident. I really didn’t know anything about seasoning, but I always had popular ones in my cabinet.  Over time I noticed that I was pulling the same ones out over and over again to season our chicken. Then….lightbulb moment.  Mix these together and make a rub. And voila.  You have the chicken spice rub that we’ve been for years now.

0 from 0 votes
Print
Chicken Spice Rub
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients into a air tight container and shake well until combined.
  2. Use as needed

I hope that you enjoy this chicken spice rub as much as we have over the years.

Chicken-Spice-Rub

Watch us use an old spice container, washi tape, and a piece of paper to make a brand new spice jar for our chicken spice rub!

Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

by Leave a Comment

bacon and chicken grilled cheese sandwich recipe

That’s right, Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

I love sandwiches…really anything that lands between two pieces of bread. It’s like the greatest thing since… Since…

Since sliced bread!?

Seriously though, there are endless combinations to what you can do. From choosing different toppings, different bread types, or different main ingredients, and once you put it all together, you can name it something fancy.

Like Panini… Lol. That word is so funny to me. I prefer sandwich! I say Panini when I’m trying to impress the Misses.

how to make a gourmet grilled cheese

With that on my brain and watching my significant other and 2 kids having a blast in the kitchen, I found the perfect way to join the fun. With a day the day off, Larisha and I sat down to see what we could create for a new mini chef recipe. With our mini chef ready for another kitchen adventure, Skibbles and I went to work.

mini chef mondays bacon grilled cheese sandwich

And… Boom!!! CHICKEN AND BACON GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH.

how to make a grilled cheese

What an amazing statement this thing made. The exterior was ever so crispy, with a mouthful of delicious smoked gouda cheese in every bit! I’ve already asked Larisha to put this in our meal rotation because I know it’s super easy to make but it was really healthy and fulling for all of us too.

mini chef mondays making a grilled cheese

0 from 0 votes
Print
Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Author: Andrew
Ingredients
  • 4 pieces sourdough bread
  • 1/2 lb cooked chicken breast
  • 6 slices applewood smoked bacon
  • 3 oz smoked gouda cheese sliced thinly (~14 slices)
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
  1. On one slice of bread layer 4 slices of cheese, half the spinach, half the chicken and 3 slices of bacon.
  2. Top with 3 slices of cheese and another slice of bread.
  3. Butter each side of the bread.
  4. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  5. Over medium low heat, cook each sandwich 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and repeat.
  6. Repeat with second sandwich.
  7. Serve with chips or fries!
Nutrition Facts
Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (2 g)
Calories 0
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

While Skibbles and I have enjoyed making cookies and a few other things together, I really loved getting into the kitchen for this week’s Mini Chef Mondays post and doing this together.  You will definitely be seeing more of Skibbles and I in the kitchen together again soon.

bacon and chicken grilled cheese sandwich

Do you add more than cheese to your grilled cheese sandwich recipes? Head over to our Facebook page and weigh in on this question and see what other people are saying too!

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

MCM Blogs

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. S’mores Stacks // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Pesto Made with Peas // Momma Lew
  3. Strawberry Mango Italian Ice // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich // We’re Parents
  5. Whole Wheat Oatmeal Fudge Bars Recipe // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Breakfast Naan Pizza // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Slow Cooker Bean Tortellini Soup // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Healthy Lunches Kids Can Prepare Themselves // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Candy Pizza // Can’t Google Everything


VIEW OUR PRIVACY POLICY

Even More Recent Posts

a black and white photo of a curly haired african american woman in a sweater holding a new born baby while standing up.

We’re Parents is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com