Chicken with Broccoli and Garlic Sauce

This recipe is from the Weight Watchers Website. The chicken is so full of flavor and so moist. It's awesome!

Chicken with Broccoli and Garlic Sauce
Points Value: 5
Servings: 4

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp dried thyme, or 2 tbsp fresh minced thyme, or to taste
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 medium garlic clove(s), minced, or more to taste
2 cup(s) broccoli, florets
1 1/2 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cup(s) cooked brown rice, kept hot

Instructions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken on a plate and season with thyme, salt and pepper. Add garlic to skillet and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chicken to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
Add broccoli to skillet, cover and cook 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
In a cup, dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/2 cup of broth; add to skillet. Simmer until mixture thickens, stirring constantly, about 1 minute; serve over rice. Yields about 1 cup of chicken and broccoli and 1/2 cup of rice per serving.

Tortilla Chips

This is such a super simple "recipe" - it's so easy I can hardly call it a recipe. The husband and I had a mexican night last night, and I decided to try my hand at making my own tortilla chips. I'm so glad I did! It's easy and SO yummy. I doubt I'll be buying anymore tortilla chips, I'll just make my own!

(Can you tell my husband loved them??)

Corn Tortillas
Serving Size: 32 tortillas

Ingredients:
4 Corn Tortillas
Salt (to taste)
1/2 cup Vegetable or Canola Oil (for frying)

Cut the tortillas into 8 triangles, like a pizza. Pre-heat the oil in a small frying pan. Gently put the tortillas into the hot oil and fry on each side for 3-5 seconds. It's a very quick process - they burn easily! As soon as they come out of the fry pan, put them on paper towel to catch the excess oil and salt immediately so it will stick.

Enjoy!

Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves

I love going to the Sunday afternoon cooking technique classes at Williams-Sonoma. I learn a wealth of information and come home with awesome tools and recipes. This recipe was given out during the "Cooking with Cast Iron" technique class. It is simply amazing. The lemon zest is so refreshing mixed with the earthy tones in the rosemary - they blend beautifully.

Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves
Source: Williams-Sonoma

"Don't be alarmed by the number of garlic vlosed called for in this recipe. The garlic mellows as it roasts, imbuing the finished sauce with a subtle flavor."

Ingredients:
2 chickens, each 4 lb., cut into 8 serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
40 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme
zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Working in batches, brown the chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chicken, rosemary, thyme and lemon zest and stir to combine. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Baste the chicken with the accumulted juices. Continue roasting, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes more.

3. Transfer the chicken to a platter; leave the garlic in a pan. Cover the chicken loosely with aluminum foil.

4. Set the pan over medium heat and mash the garlic with the back of a spoon. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes. Add the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Whish in the butter a few pieces at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a sauceboat. Serve the chicken immediately and pass the sauce alongside.

Serves 8.

**My notes: I only cook for 2, so I used 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts. I browned the chicken on each side after heating the oil. Once browned, I added the rest of the ingredients and turned the heat down to medium-low and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. I served alongside macaroni. IT IS AMAZING!

Orange Chinese Chicken (and beef)

I'm starting to live healthier, and am a weight watchers member. My husband and I have been addicted to Chinese food lately, and we both love orange meals. I love orange chicken, and Michael loves orange beef. This recipe is from Weight Watchers website, I'll show my changes in red.




Orange Chinese Chicken
Points Value: 5
Servings: 4
Preparation TIme: 14 mins
Cooking time: 11 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
2 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp orange zest, strips
1 pound (s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breat, four 4-oz pieces *and 1 cup or so of beef stew pieces
1/8 tso table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
15 oz Mandarin Oranges in Light Syrup, or similar item
1/2 cup (s) reduced-sodium chicken broth *1 cup
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce *2 tbsps
1 tbsp orange zest, finely grated, or to taste *2 tbsps
2 tsp cornstarch *4 tsps

Instructions

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add zest strips and cook, stirring, until fragrant and slightly cooked, about 1-2 minutes. **this took about 5 minutes Meanwhile, season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. When zest is finished, increase heat to medium-high; add chicken and beef to skillet and cook until golden, flipping once, about 2 minutes per side.

Drain oranges and reserve 1/4 cup liquid. Add oranges with reserved liquid to skillet and simmer 2 minutes. Whisk together broth, soy sauce, finely grated zest and cornstarch in a small bowl; add mixture to pan and simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Yields 1 piece of chicken and about 1/4 cup of sauce per serving.