These chicken tacos are a healthier spin on traditional beef tacos — and they’re just as good, if not better. When my kids were little, I came up with some weeknight traditions to make dinnertime special and fun for my family. One of our favorites was Taco Tuesdays. The kids would come home from school on Tuesdays all “Yay, it’s taco night!” and it made deciding what to make for dinner easy for me. We made all sorts of different tacos — shrimp tacos, carne asada tacos, and Baja fish tacos — but these chicken tacos were always the kids’ favorite. Even now as young adults, they still love them! They’re a healthier spin on hard-shell beef tacos, and they’re just as good, if not better. What you’ll need to make Chicken Tacos Step-by-Step Instructions To make them, begin by chopping the vegetables. You can do this in a food processor if you like; just be sure not to purée them.   Normally, I don’t believe in hiding vegetables but in this case, I dice them very small so my kids don’t notice them (or at least they can’t pick them out). I figure what they don’t know won’t hurt them, and one night where I’m not nagging them to eat their vegetables is good for all of us. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the vegetables. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until soft. Add ground chicken and spices use a wooden spoon to break chicken into small pieces.   Turn the heat to high and use a wooden spoon to break the chicken into small clumps; cook until the chicken is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, then turn the heat down to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking chicken into smaller clumps, for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Meanwhile, heat the shells in the oven. To serve, spoon the chicken inside the shells and top with shredded lettuce and cheese. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Chicken Tacos.

Light and fresh chicken enchiladas filled with tender, smoky chicken and cheddar cheese in a tangy tomatillo sauce.   My whole family loves these chicken enchiladas. They take a bit of time to make, but you can make the sauce and filling ahead of time, then assemble and bake the enchiladas another time for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Most chicken enchilada recipes call for dark meat because it stays moist. This is important because the chicken is cooked twice: once in preparing the filling and then again in heating the assembled dish. However, I like to use chicken tenderloins; they’re much easier to prep than dark meat and, unlike boneless breasts, they stay tender even if slightly overcooked. Plus, tenderloins are usually sold in convenient one-pound packs, which is exactly how much you’ll need. The sauce for this dish is made with tomatillos. If you’re unfamiliar with them, they look like small green tomatoes covered by a papery husk. They’re related to tomatoes but have a distinctive tart flavor. (Note that they are not the same as green tomatoes, which are simply unripe tomatoes.) You can find them in most grocery stores. Finally, this recipe calls for three jalapeño peppers, which I know seems like a lot. Don’t worry, as long as you remove the fiery ribs and seeds, the enchiladas won’t be spicy. When you taste the sauce on its own, it will have a little kick but once you put the dish together it will be mild enough even for young children. If you’d like more heat, throw in some of the seeds. (Always wear gloves and/or wash your hands very well after working with jalapeños, and keep your hands away from your eyes!) How to make chicken enchiladas Begin by making the tomatillo sauce. Cook the onions and garlic in olive oil until soft (no need to chop them too finely since it all gets puréed in the end). Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, sugar, salt, cumin and 1/3 cup water.   Simmer until the tomatillos are soft. Then, transfer the mixture to a blender and purée until completely smooth. Set the sauce aside and start the filling. Season the chicken with the cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Sauté the chicken in olive oil until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, then set aside to cool. Once cool, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Tenderloins all have a tough tendon running through them; just remove it. In the same pan that you cooked the chicken in, cook the onions until soft Remove the pan from the heat, then add the shredded chicken along with the cilantro and shredded cheese. That’s your filling. You can make the dish ahead of time up to this point. To assemble the enchiladas, begin by smearing 3/4 cup of the tomatillo sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Next, brush each tortilla on both sides with oil. Stack them on a plate and microwave until hot and steamy, about 2 minutes. This makes them pliable; if you skip this step, they’ll shred to pieces when you roll them. Spoon the filling down the middle of each tortilla. Then roll tightly with your hands. Place the enchiladas side by side, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over top.   Spread the sauce evenly over the tortillas, then sprinkle with more grated cheese.   Bake until sauce is hot and bubbling and cheese is melted, 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle the enchiladas with smoked paprika — it makes them look pretty but also adds more delicious smoky flavor. Serve immediately with shredded lettuce, sour cream, sliced avocado, and lime wedges. Enjoy! Note: My starting point for this recipe was a similar version in Cook’s Illustrated. I made a lot of changes, but the tomatillo sauce is very similar to the original recipe. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce.

The whole family will love this chicken piccata — and the dish comes together in a flash. When it’s 5:30 PM and I’m staring blankly into the fridge at a package of boneless chicken breasts, wondering what the heck am I going to make for dinner, it’s often chicken piccata to the rescue. Crispy chicken cutlets in a lemony butter and caper sauce, chicken piccata is one of those quick and easy suppers that makes everyone at the table happy. My kids like the chicken plain, while Michael and I love the lemony, briny notes in the butter sauce. Capers definitely fall into the love-’em-or-hate-’em category, so feel free to leave them out if you’re not a fan. Chicken piccata pairs well with many easy sides, such as buttered angel hair pasta, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes or couscous. That means you can go from “what’s for dinner?”  to “dinner’s on the table!” in less than 30 minutes. How To Make Chicken Piccata Begin by prepping the chicken breasts. First slice each chicken breast in half horizontally. Place the chicken breasts in a large sealable plastic bag and, using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound them to an even 1/4-inch thickness. This ensures that they cook quickly and evenly. (I use a sealable plastic bag to pound the chicken because it can also be used in the next step to easily coat the chicken with flour.) To the bag, add the flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; seal and shake to combine. Add the chicken to the bag. Then seal and shake to coat the chicken evenly. Beat the eggs in a large, shallow bowl. In another large, shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using tongs (or your hands), dip each chicken breast first in the egg mixture, turning to coat evenly and letting any excess egg drip off, and then into the bread crumbs, turning to coat evenly. This 3-step breading method (flour + eggs + bread crumbs) ensures that the coating adheres. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for until the first side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook until the second side is golden, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven while you make the sauce. (Note: the chicken should be almost fully cooked at this point. Don’t leave it in the oven for more than 5 minutes or it will overcook.) Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven while you make the sauce. (Note: the chicken should be almost fully cooked at this point. Don’t leave it in the oven for more than 5 minutes or it will overcook.) Off the heat, swirl in the butter. Add the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Remove the chicken piccata from the oven and transfer to plates. Spoon the sauce over top and enjoy! Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Chicken Piccata.

From food writer Alice Currah, these grilled Thai curry chicken skewers are a crowd pleaser for all ages. This recipe was passed on to me by my dear friend, Kelly Santoro. She found it in the Costco magazine but the recipe originally comes from food writer Alice Currah of the blog and book, Savory Sweet Life.  The dish is a crowd-pleaser for all ages. It’s the sauce that makes it so good. My 10-year-old son, upon taking a second helping of the broccoli I served alongside, answered my surprised look with, “Mom, this sauce would make anything taste good.” I have to agree: I was tempted to forget the chicken entirely and just have the sauce as soup! What You’ll Need To Make Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Skewers Most of the ingredients for these chicken skewers are pretty straightforward. If you’re not familiar with Thai red curry paste, it’s a blend of lemongrass, Thai ginger, fresh red chilis, and fragrant spices. Most large supermarkets carry it in the Asian food section. How To Make Grilled Thai Curry Chicken skewers Begin by pounding the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness. This both tenderizes the meat and ensures it cooks evenly.   Next, make the marinade by combining the soy sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, vegetable oil, garlic, curry powder, ginger, cardamom and salt in a bowl. Cut the chicken into chunks and combine it with the marinade. Cover and let marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.   Meanwhile, make the sauce by combining the coconut milk, peanut butter, dark brown sugar, soy sauce and red curry paste in a medium saucepan.   Bring the sauce to a boil, then turn the heat down and cook a few minutes more. Finish the sauce with freshly squeezed lime juice. Once the chicken has marinated, thread the chunks onto skewers.   Preheat the grill to high. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, rub the paper towels over the grates until smooth and shiny. Grill the chicken about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.   Serve with the coconut peanut sauce and enjoy! If you have leftovers, try serving the chicken over a salad — the chilled sauce makes an excellent dressing. Note: I made several changes to the original recipe. For starters, I added a bit of salt and extra garlic to the marinade, and also swapped lime juice for lime zest as I do not like to use acidic ingredients in marinades for boneless skinless chicken breasts (they are so lean, it almost cooks the exterior of the meat and creates a leathery texture). I also pounded the chicken breasts first to tenderize them. To the sauce, I added more red curry paste and lots of fresh lime juice to brighten the flavor — otherwise, it was just too rich for my taste. To see the original recipe, click here. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Skewers with Coconut-Peanut Sauce.

Based on the popular Thai dish Larb Gai, this is a quick, easy, and flavorful weeknight dinner. This recipe is based on Larb Gai, the popular Thai dish made from minced chicken, fish sauce, lime juice, chilies, and fresh herbs. You can have it on the table in 30 minutes, and it can be served in lettuce cups or over rice. What you’ll need to make Thai Minced Chicken Lettuce Cups As you can see from the photo, the recipe is inexpensive to make with ingredients found at your local supermarket. One of the key ingredients is fish sauce. Contrary to what you might expect, it doesn’t add a “fishy” taste, but rather a salty, savory, umami flavor. If you’ve never cooked with it, I’ll warn you that it smells pretty bad (my kids RUN out of the kitchen when I use it), but please don’t let that deter you — it absolutely makes the dish! If possible, buy a brand imported from Thailand or Vietnam, and don’t worry about buying a large bottle; it keeps forever. Step-by-Step Instructions For the chicken, begin by cooking the onions and ginger in oil until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook one minute more. Add the ground chicken and use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar and red pepper flakes, and cook until the chicken is done. Off the heat, add the fresh cilantro, mint, scallions, and nuts. Stir to combine. Spoon into lettuce cups and serve with finely sliced carrots, herbs and Sriracha sauce. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Thai-Style Minced Chicken Lettuce Cups.

The spices in this grilled chicken recipe are reminiscent of ras el hanout, a North African spice blend that usually contains over a dozen spices. I love Moroccan food, especially how dishes often combine spicy, savory, and sweet flavors, and that’s the idea behind this grilled Moroccan chicken. The spices in the marinade are reminiscent of ras el hanout, a North African spice blend that usually contains more than a dozen spices, like cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cardamom, allspice, fenugreek, and more. This dish is a real family pleaser – even small children seem to love it – and the best part is that it takes just minutes to prepare (and there’s barely any clean-up!). Pair the chicken with plain couscous or my warm couscous salad with apricot vinaigrette. What You’ll Need To Make Grilled Moroccan Chicken Step-by-step instructions Begin by pounding the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness. This both tenderizes the meat and ensures even cooking. Left in their natural shape, the thin side of the fillet dries out while the thicker side finishes cooking. Next, make the marinade by combining the olive oil, spices, salt, garlic and sugar in a bowl or directly in a sealable plastic bag. Mix well. Place the chicken and marinade in a freezer bag, press the air out and then massage the marinade into the chicken until the breasts are evenly coated. Marinate in the fridge for 5-6 hours. When you’re ready to eat, preheat your grill to high. It’s important that the grill is very hot — you want nice grill marks and char in the short amount of time it takes to cook these. Grill just a few minutes per side for perfectly tender chicken breasts. Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021) Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Grilled Moroccan Chicken.

This sheet-pan roast chicken dinner is the perfect no-fuss dish for company. Everything can be prepared and assembled a day in advance, so all that’s left to do at dinnertime is pop it in the oven. Don’t you just love discovering new “keeper” recipes? The first time I made Melissa Clark’s fabulous Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken from The New York Times, I knew it’d be a family favorite for years to come. The chicken is immersed in a honey, citrus, and chili-infused marinade, and then roasted on a sheet pan with carrots and dates. Before serving, herbs, scallions, and pistachios are added for freshness, color, and crunch. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also the perfect no-fuss dish for company. Everything can be prepared and assembled a day in advance, so all that’s left to do at dinnertime is pop it in the oven. Serve with couscous and a green vegetable and dinner is done! What you’ll need to make Sweet & Spicy roast chicken The original recipe is wonderful as printed but, as with any recipe, each time I’ve made it, I’ve tweaked it to suit my style and my family’s taste. What follows is the version I make today. How to make Sweet & Spicy roast chicken Begin by making the marinade: whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, and salt. Place the chicken, carrots, onions, and dates in a large sealable plastic bag. Add the marinade and seal shut. Massage to make sure everything is evenly coated with the marinade, then marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight. Transfer all ingredients from the bag, including the marinade, to a rimmed sheet pan. Turn the chicken skin side up. Roast until chicken is lightly browned and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. Turn on broiler (leave pan on middle rack), and cook a few minutes more, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Watch very carefully: the honey in the marinade can cause the skin to burn quickly! Transfer the chicken, carrots, onions and dates onto a platter, along with the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle the parsley, scallions and pistachio nuts over top and serve. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken with Carrots, Dates & Pistachios.

A family favorite, this turkey meatloaf is as flavorful and juicy as one made with ground beef. Swapping ground turkey for ground beef is a great way to make meatloaf a bit healthier. However, for all its merits as a low-fat alternative to ground beef, ground turkey can be dry and bland. The key to making a good turkey meatloaf is to add flavor and moisture without adding fat, which would defeat the whole purpose of making it lighter. I season this turkey meatloaf with sautéed onions and garlic, and I also add some of the sweet and tangy glaze directly to the meatloaf mixture, which makes the meatloaf flavorful and juicy. One tip if you’re making this for kids: be sure to chop the onions very finely. My experience is that kids do not like finding flecks of onions (or flecks of anything, really!) in their meatloaf. Naturally, leftovers make excellent meatloaf sandwiches. What you’ll need To Make Turkey Meatloaf Step-by-Step Instructions Begin by making the glaze: in a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and mustard. Whisk to combine. Next, in a small pan, heat the olive oil and add the onions. Cook until softened, then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the glaze with the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, and eggs. Whisk to combine. Mix in the onion mixture. Then add the bread crumbs and turkey. Use your hands to mix it all together. Form two loaves on a baking sheet. Then spread the remaining BBQ glaze over top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. I prefer this “free-form” meatloaf to those made in a loaf pan; clean-up is so much easier and all the extra fat is able to ooze out during baking. Scrape the fat away from the loaves, transfer to a platter, and slice. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Turkey Meatloaf.

This bubbling baked ziti is perfect for feeding a crowd, and it freezes well too. This baked ziti is a MAJOR family-pleaser. Loaded with Italian sausage, which packs a ton of flavor, it’s similar to meat lasagna but without the fuss; it’s easy enough for a weeknight but also special enough for company; and it makes a great prep-ahead potluck dish. To save time, go ahead and use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese from a bag; just be sure it’s made from whole milk (low-fat won’t taste nearly as good). While the baked ziti is in the oven, throw together a big Italian salad and warm some bread, and dinner is served! What You’ll Need to Make Baked Ziti with Sausage Ricotta cheese is a traditional addition to baked ziti, but I leave it out because it has a tendency to get dry and grainy when baked. I use heavy cream to add richness instead. For the mozzarella cheese, I recommend using whole milk mozzarella; it melts beautifully. You can purchase a plastic-wrapped brick of mozzarella (pictured above and sold in the dairy case) and shred it yourself. (To make it easier to work with, pop it in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes prior to shredding.) Or, to save time time, use pre-shredded mozzarella; just be sure it is made from whole milk. Avoid fresh buffalo mozzarella, which is best suited for salads. Many grocers sell bulk Italian sausage (pictured above), which is simply ground sausage without the casings. If you can’t find it, you can ask your butcher to take the meat out of the casings or do it yourself. Step-by-Step Instructions For Baked Ziti Step 1: Boil the Noodles Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package instructions until a few minutes shy of al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside. Step 2: Make the Sauce Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and crumble the sausage into the pan. Cook the sausage, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don’t have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the pecorino Romano, and basil to the pan. Then stir in the cooked sausage. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Step 3: Assemble & Bake Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the remaining pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Spinach Quiche Made with heavy cream and Gruyère, this rich spinach quiche is classic French. Of all the spinach quiches I’ve tried over the years, this classic French version is my favorite. The recipe comes from my childhood friend Trish, who is not only one of the funniest people I know, but also a stunning hostess. When Trish entertains, she goes all out – beautiful table settings, seasonal cocktails, fabulous food, and (best of all) hilarious party games. She once created an entire game of Jeopardy! for our old high school gang, complete with categories like Prom Dates, ’80s Pop Stars, and Senior Superlatives. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Baked Ziti with Sausage.

Made with a rotisserie chicken, this hearty white chicken chili is a one-pot meal that you can have on the table in under an hour. When chili is made with chicken or turkey, white beans, and broth (rather than tomatoes), it is called “white chili” because it appears light in color rather than a deep red. It’s a bit lighter and brothier than ground beef chili or Texas-style chili, but it’s still rich and comforting. I have tried countless recipes for white chicken chili over the years, from super-easy crockpot recipes to more authentic, time-consuming versions made from a wide array of chili peppers and hominy. This recipe adapted from Food Network falls somewhere in the middle effort-wise, and it’s the one my family loves best. It’s a hearty one-pot meal you can have on the table in under an hour. What you’ll need to make white chicken chili Before we get to the step-by-step photos, a few notes about the ingredients: The recipe calls for a store-bought rotisserie chicken. I typically shred the chicken as soon as I get home from the grocery store; it’s easier to do while the chicken is still warm, eliminates a step at dinnertime, and also takes up less room in the fridge. The larger peppers you see in photo are mild poblanos. The small chili pepper is a spicy jalapeño. As always, when working with jalapeños, wear gloves or wash your hands very well afterwards (and always avoid touching your eyes). The seeds and ribs in the pepper hold all of the heat. I remove and discard them to keep the chili mild and family-friendly, but if you like a spicy chili, save them and stir some in at the end. I use low-sodium chicken broth for the chili; the canned beans are fairly high in sodium, so using a low-sodium variety broth helps to keep the flavor of the chili from being overly salty. I use frozen corn as it’s available year-round (there’s no need to defrost the corn before incorporating it into the recipe). If fresh corn is in season and you’d prefer to use that, you’ll need kernels from 1 ear of corn. Step-by-Step Instructions Begin by combining half of the white beans in a food processor with one cup of the chicken broth. Process until you have a smooth purée. This is what will thicken the broth. Set aside In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and add the the onions and peppers. Cook until soft, about 4 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook a minute more, then add the spices. Continue cooking for another minute to toast the spices. Add the chicken broth, salt and puréed bean mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, beans, corn, and lime and simmer until everything is warmed through. You will notice that the chili is quite soupy. This is intentional. It thickens as it sits — in fact, if you make it ahead of time, you will likely need to add some broth or water to thin it out. Plus, I find that if the broth is too thick, the chili gets gloppy and unappealing. A soupy broth is good! Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – White Chicken Chili