Fresh Herb Chicken Salad

Apr 17, 2021 | Dishes, Meal Prep

Chicken by itself can get so old and boring, right? With the right components, it can easily be made fresh and exciting in so many ways- just like this fresh herb chicken salad!

Chicken salad is something I have always loved, especially on a freshly made flaky croissant with an iced tea? Lunchtime perfection. While we all, unfortunately, can’t be enjoying it on a warm sunny patio, we can make a version ourselves at home for very little cost and time.

For starters, I do not make a mayo-based chicken salad. I use greek yogurt as a base and it is light and refreshing without skimping on any flavor. Also, I almost always use a rotisserie chicken when I make this recipe. I find it so much easier to not have to cook and shred my own chicken breasts, and a rotisserie chicken at Costco or almost any other grocery store is around $5.

I like to meal prep for work, and I find that this fresh herb chicken salad is super easy to have on hand throughout the week. It doesn’t need to be reheated, which makes it an immediate win, and you can eat it in a variety of ways. Have it on a sandwich, scoop it with celery stalks, or enjoy it with crackers- my all-time favorite being the olive oil & rosemary crackers from Aldi.

If you’re interested in some other of my favorite meal prep recipes, check out my creamy tortellini soup or Italian veggie stew!

Print Recipe

Fresh Herb Chicken Salad

Easy no mayo chicken salad with fresh herbs and packed with flavor- enjoy on a sandwich, with crackers, or on the side!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken salad, no mayo chicken salad

Servings: 5 people

Equipment

• large bowl

Ingredients

• 2 c shredded chicken
• 1 1/2 c plain greek yogurt
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1/2 apple, chopped
• 1/2 c craisins
• 1/2 c grapes, quartered can use either grapes or craisins, or both
• 1/2 c chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dill
• 1 1/2 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp thyme

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix yogurt with all seasonings. Add in craisins/craisins, celery, apple, walnuts, and shredded chicken, ensuring everything is evenly coated
• Serve chilled

Notes

*I love to use a rotisserie chicken for my chicken salad. It is moist and flavorful and above all else, EASY. I think it provides great flavor for the chicken salad

Store this chicken salad in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Italian Veggie Stew

Feb 28, 2021 | Dishes, Meal Prep

One pot meals are the dish that keeps this house alive. Versatile, easy, and full of flavor, this Italian veggie stew is a staple month after month.

I’m not even really sure that this name does it justice actually. It’s just vegetables simmered down in a large pot with tomatoes, heavily seasoned with Italian spices, and has garbanzo beans added for protein. I use zucchini and yellow squash, peppers, and canned tomatoes. Feel free, however, to use any other vegetables you might have on hand like mushrooms, celery, or carrots.

You sauté onion and then dump chopped vegetables and seasonings in and leave it for about 30 minutes. That’s it. It’s so easy. And not only does it use up odds and ends in the fridge and keeps you full, but it also makes your whole house smell like you’ve made a very decadent dish.

I serve this over ravioli, but you can also just eat it plain. I prefer a plain cheese ravioli or just fell in love with the Cacio e Pepe ravioli from Trader Joe’s.

Print Recipe

Italian Veggie Stew

Zucchini, yellow squash, onions, and tomatoes simmered down with a heavy helping of Italian spices with garbanzo beans for protien.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: garbanzo beans, italian herb, italian stew, roasted vegetables, vegan, vegetable stew, vegetarian

Equipment

• Large pot

Ingredients

• 1 onion chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 28 oz chopped tomatoes
• 15 oz garbanzo beans rinsed
• 2 zucchini *chopped
• 1 yellow squash *chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 1-2 c kale chopped
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2 tsp rosemary
• 2 tsp thyme
• parmesan cheese to top, optional
• ravioli optional

Instructions

• In a large pot, satué the onions and garlic in olive oil on medium heat until the onions become translucent
• Add in the chopped zucchini, squash, and peppers. Sauté for just another couple of minutes. Add in all of the seasonings and the can of tomatoes and garbanzo beans and mix. Place the kale on top of the mixed vegetables
• Put the lid on the pot and let it sit on low heat for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables become a crisp tender
• Serve by itself or over ravioli, with parmesan cheese on top

Notes

For the zucchini and yellow squash, the best way to chop them is in 1/2″ rounds, and then either quarter or half each of those, depending on the size. 

 

Serve this Italian veggie stew immediately or store in a refrigerator for up to a week. It can also be stored frozen for up to 3 months.

Looking for more easy meal prep? Check out my all time favorite, my creamy tortellini soup.

Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Jan 26, 2021 | Dishes, Meal Prep

I am on SUCH a soup kick this winter and am so here for my new healthy chicken tortilla soup. In this house, we love all things tacos, quesadillas, guac, and burritos. Those things don’t heat up so well throughout the week, but soup does! And crockpot meals are also the goldmine of weekday cooking.

I always sauté my onions before I put them in the crockpot, I think it adds a lot more flavor when you cook down onions and garlic in seasoning. I also quick seared my chicken in the spices just to add a little flavor as well. You’re supposed to with roasts so I don’t see why you can’t with chicken as well?

I bought a giant block of Tillamook cheddar cheese last week and shredded it to put on top of this soup and it was sooo good. It’s so much better to shred your own cheese, goodbye waxy taste from pre shredded cheese!

Also, USE CROCKPOT LINERS. I mean seriously, you should never have to scrub a crockpot again. They even sell them at Aldi now.

Print Recipe

Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This hearty soup is full of corn, black beans, spices, and shredded chicken. With no heavy cream added, its low in calories but high in flavor!

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: chicken tortilla, chicken tortilla soup, crockpot meals, healthy meals, homemade soup, soup

Equipment

• crock pot
• crock pot liners

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1 onion diced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 3 jalapeños sliced or chopped
• 16 oz corn
• 32 oz black beans
• 16 oz pinto or red beans
• 16-32 oz diced tomatos
• 3 c low sodium chicken stock
• 2 tbsp flour
• shredded cheddar cheese to top

Instructions

• On the stove, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil on medium heat. Add half of the paprika, cumin, and chili powder and cook until the onions become translucent. Add these to the bottom of the crockpot
• In the same skillet used for the onions, add the chicken and drizzle with olive oil and the rest of the paprika, cumin, and chili powder. Cook the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side, just enough to form a golden crust. Add this on top of the onions in the crockpot
• Add the drained cans of black beans, red beans, corn, tomatoes, and jalapeños. Add 3 cups of chicken stock and mix it all together slightly
• Cook on high heat for 4 hours
• Once the soup is cooked, remove the chicken and shred it with two forks in a separate bowl
• Remove about 1/4 c of stock from the soup and add it to a small bowl to mix with the flour to create a roux. Once the flour is dissolved, stir this mixture back into the soup to thicken it
• Add the chicken back into the soup and mix
• Serve hot with shredded cheese if desired

This chicken tortilla soup should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze it for up to 5 months in freezer bags or glass jars. Be sure to remove the lids of the jars until the soup is completely frozen so the expansion does not make the glass shatter.

Check out my other favorite soups of the season, like my creamy tortellini soup!

Polish Sausage and Green Beans

Jan 19, 2021 | Dishes, Meal Prep

Yet another classic warm and hearty one-pot wonder by my Grams- Polish sausage and green beans. We’ve been eating this dish for as long as I can remember, and my mom always makes it when the whole fam is all together.

This is the dream weeknight dinner, cooked up in a single pot and requires only a few minutes of actual work. Somehow this potato, green bean, and Polish sausage bowl of goodness is so simple but so right. To make it even easier, all of these ingredients can be found at any local store, including my favorite, Aldi.

Start out by browning Polish sausage and onions, and then add cubed potatoes and green beans on top. Pop a lid on the pot and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Adding some vegetable broth mixes with the traces of fat to help create a thick broth to serve this in. It really is so simple to make.

Print Recipe

Polish Sausage and Green Beans

A one pot wonder that creates a hearty meal full of Polish sausage, crisp tender green beans, and rich potatoes

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Keyword: comfort food, easy weeknight dinner, one pot meal, polish sausage

Equipment

• One large pot

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh green beans
• 1.5 lbs Polish sausage
• 5-6 large potatoes peeled and cubed.
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1-2 c vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp flour

Instructions

• In a large pot, add the olive oil, onion, and chopped sausage and sauté on medium heat until the sausages get a little bit of a crispy edge
• Add potatoes and then green beans on top of the pot and add enough vegetable broth to just cover the potatoes
• Let the pot simmer on medium heat for about 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and green beans are cooked crisp tender
• Remove about 1/2 c of broth from the pot and mix it with the tbsp of flour in a small separate bowl. Add this roux back into the pot and mix it in well to thicken the broth
• Simmer on low heat until ready to serve

definitely a cousin. You serve it in a big bowl and it’s got a broth, so I think it’s close enough. If you are in the mood for a full-on soup, check out my creamy tortellini soup too.

This Polish sausage and green beans dish should be served hot and then stored in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.