Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: Varies by oven but 20-30 minutes

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1 packet of Fajita or Taco Seasoning

3 bell peppers sliced

1 onion thinly sliced

1 zucchini thinly sliced (optional)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenders, sliced chicken breast or sliced steak

Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges, for serving

8 fajita-size flour tortillas, (preferably warm)

Serving suggestions: cheese, guacamole, hot sauce, salsa and sour cream.

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1

Preheat the broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Put the peppers and onions on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with half of the seasoning packet mixture and a pinch of salt if desired.

Broil until softened and starting to char, about 10-15 minutes but varies by oven.

Step 2

Meanwhile, if you’re using chicken breast or steak, cut the meat into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Step 3

After the peppers are softened and starting to char, place the meat on top of the peppers and onions, sprinkle the remaining seasoning onto the meat. and toss. Return the baking sheet to the broiler until the meat is cooked through. Total cook time is about 30 minutes depending on your oven.

Step 4

Sprinkle cilantro over veggies and meat and drizzle with generous squeezes of fresh lime juice.

These poblano peppers are stuffed with rice, black beans, shredded cheese, cream cheese and your choice of protein. Once the rice and meat are cooked, the recipe comes together quickly!

Ingredients:

• 8-10 Poblano Peppers. Note: You can also use Bell Peppers but I prefer the flavor of Poblano. This isn’t always the case but occasionally, poblanos have a very slight note of heat. If you are incredibly sensitive, use Bell Peppers.
• 3 cups of cooked rice or 1.5 cups before cooked.
• 2 cups of turkey, chicken or pork sausage and ground beef is great too! Your preference!
• 2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese
• 4 ounces of softened cream cheese (1/2 the package if using Philadelphia brand).
• 1 can of Original Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies)
• 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
• Juice of one lime
• Sea salt, Black pepper and garlic salt to taste. For me, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt but adjust accordingly.

Directions:

• Cook rice according to package. I used long grain white rice in one batch and cauliflower rice in another and both were great! Once the water comes to a boil, I added a little salt to the water which seasons the rice.
• While rice is cooking, cook your choice of meat. Pork sausage won’t need any seasoning but if you’re using ground beef, chicken or turkey, I would season with a little salt, black pepper and garlic salt.
• Set rice and meat aside once cooked.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Make a “V” shaped cut into the poblano and remove seeds.
• Arrange poblano peppers in a single layer on the baking sheet so that they aren’t overlapping.
• Drizzle pepper shells and tops with olive oil and a small pinch or sprinkle of sea salt.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until peppers are gently softened. NOTE: For most ovens, 10 minutes in a preheated oven is sufficient because they’ll be cooking a second time once the peppers are stuffed. Remove from oven and set aside.
• In a large bowl add the rice and meat and combine with softened cream cheese, 1 cup of shredded cheese, the can of Rotel (some liquid is good but do not use it all), 1/4 cup of cilantro, juice from half a lime or more if you prefer and season to taste with sea salt, pepper and garlic salt.
• Spoon mixture into the peppers, sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and cheese.
• I slice the pepper tops into thin horizontal strips (as pictured above) and lay back on the pepper. Optional.
• Return peppers to the 400 degree oven for another 10-15 minutes (ovens vary) or until peppers are tender and cheese is melted. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
• Serve with sour cream, avocado and if you’re feeling extra, chips and salsa!

NOTE: Place any leftover filling in a baking dish and cook along with the peppers. You’ll appreciate the side dish. -OR- freeze the leftover portion for future use!

You can find more recipes to make during your quarantine here!

Even though making Chicken Parm is easy, it’s still a bit of a process. The good news is that every single bite of this Chicken Parm was so delicious, I no longer care about the process. The recipe itself isn’t groundbreaking but I’ve added a few tips and tricks that help make this classic Italian-American favorite better at home than what you’d get at most restaurants!

INGREDIENTS

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Garlic salt to taste
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 3 cups Italian seasoned PANKO bread crumbs. Note: Panko bread crumbs help keep the chicken crispy.
• Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Note: A good Parmesan cheese may be substituted in place of Pecorino Romano.
• Fresh Basil to taste
• Fresh Mozzarella (at least 5 ounces or 1 ball) Note: You may use shredded Mozzarella or even Provolone in place of fresh Mozzarella.
• 32 ounces of Marinara Note: You may want more if serving with more than a half a pound of pasta)
• Fresh Parsley (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS

Prep your sauce. If you’re using store-bought sauce, I highly recommend quickly sautéing onions and garlic in a sauce pan, adding Rao’s Marinara, chopped fresh parsley, grating some Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan) directly into the sauce and letting that simmer for 10 minutes. NOTE: To save time, you can make your sauce the day or even up to two days before. If you’re serving the chicken with pasta, be sure you have enough sauce for both the chicken and the pasta.

Prep your dredging bowls.
One for the egg wash (whisk the 2 eggs with a little water and set aside.
One for the flour. Season with salt, pepper and a little garlic salt. Mix and set aside.
One for the breadcrumbs. Grate fresh Pecorino Romano or Parmesan over breadcrumbs, mix and set aside.

Assemble.

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Pound your chicken breast with a mallet, rolling pin or even a canned good. I place the chicken in a ziplock bag and pound away. The chicken should be about 1/4” thick per cutlet.
• Remove from bag and season chicken with sea salt, fresh ground pepper and a light sprinkling of garlic salt.
• Dredge the chicken in flour. Shake off excess, dip chicken in egg wash and then into the breadcrumbs. Set aside as you finish dredging each piece.
• In a pan or skillet over medium-high heat, add 1/4″ oil. Use a cast iron pan if you have. When pan is hot but not smoking, add chicken. Cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
• If serving with pasta, boil water now. Once water is boiling. Add salt and then when the boil returns, add your pasta.
• In a glass baking dish, add a light layer of marinara. A tablespoon of sauce under each piece of chicken is sufficient. NOTE: If you over-sauce, you risk ending up with soggy chicken.
• Add your chicken. Spoon marinara over each piece.
• Sprinkle a generous amount of fresh chopped basil over sauce-covered chicken.
• Top with thinly sliced fresh mozzarella.
• Bake chicken for 10-12 minutes or just until the mozzarella is melted to your preference.
• Using the reserved marinara, add to drained pasta and gently toss or stir. I recommend adding freshly ground black pepper, chopped basil and more Pecorino Romano cheese to your pasta. If you like a little spice, add red pepper flakes!