Roasted Poblano Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is delicious, but sometimes I get bored with just regular chicken salad. My husband loves peppers of all kinds, and I prefer the milder type. Poblanos are located close to the top of my fave pepper list. They are even better roasted! Using already prepared rotisserie chicken from the grocery, makes this chicken salad an easy dinner to get on the table after a long day.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Roasted Poblano Chicken Salad

2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 poblano peppers
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1.5 cups shredded chicken (I used half of a rotisserie chicken.)
• 2-3 sandwich buns, for serving
• 2-3 slices provolone cheese, for serving
• lettuce, for serving
• tomato, sliced, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to broil, and cover a small baking sheet with foil. Place the poblano peppers on the baking sheet, and put in the oven. Broil until the skin of the poblano browns and blisters. Once, this occurs, turn the poblanos over with tongs and repeat. This whole process usually takes me a total of 15-20 minutes, 7.5-10 minutes per side on my high broil setting. Remove the pan, and place the peppers in a small heat-proof bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the peppers to cool for about 15 minutes. (I roasted my peppers the night before, so I placed mine in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator over night. Sorry there are no pictures from the roasting.)

Carefully peel the blistered skin off, de-stem, and remove the seeds from the pepper.

Roughly chop the poblano flesh and place it in a food processor. Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and chipotle chili powder. Cover and pulse until everything is smooth and combined well.

In a medium bowl, combine the poblano cream mixture with the celery, onion, and chicken. Mix well until everything is blended together.

Place a large helping on a sandwich bun, and serve with toppings.

Enjoy!!

“Love, like a chicken salad or restaurant hash, must be taken with blind faith or it loses its flavor.” – Helen Rowland

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a common side dish. Mashed sweet potatoes are harder to find out at restaurants (unless if you reside in the south). The nutritional values of sweet potatoes heavily outweigh those of regular potatoes. So not only is this side yummy, it’s also better for you than the traditional. Savory and sweet flavors meet to make this a regular in our home!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, rinsed, peeled, and diced
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Put the sweet potato pieces in a medium pot with cold water. Place over high heat, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, lower to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the pieces are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Drain potatoes thoroughly, and either put it back in the pot or move to another bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients. Next mash the mixture with a masher, immersion blender, or a paddle attachment on a stand mixer.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!!

“In the southern half of the country perhaps no crop has larger possibilities for quick increase of production of food for both men and animals than the sweet potato.”
– David F. Houston

Southwest Chicken Tortilla Soup

Although the first day of autumn is not quite here yet, my house is starting to scream FALL. My soaps and Scentsy have all been switched out to fun pumpkin and fall smells. With that, I was pleasantly surprised by the dip in the temperature in Southeast Texas. By “dip,” I only mean below 60°F, but none the less I was excited! What better way to celebrate the upcoming autumnal equinox on September 22nd than a delicious spicy soup?!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Southwest Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 lime, half juiced and half cut into wedges for serving
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, for serving (optional)
• 1 small avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese, for serving (optional)
• tortilla chips, for serving

Directions:

Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and then add the onion, garlic, peppers, and jalapeños. Sauté for a 3-5 minutes.

Next add paprika,chili powder, cumin, red pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for about a minute.

Dump in the chicken, corn, tomatoes, broth, and lime juice. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a  simmer, and cook for 15-20 minutes.

When ready, ladle into bowls. Serve warm with cilantro, avocado, cheese, lime wedges, and tortilla chips.

Enjoy!!

“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.” – Emily Bronte

Summer Peach & Chicken Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

As always, I love a good summer salad. This salad has some fruity goodness with all of the yummy fresh summer flavors.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Summer Peach & Chicken Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

2 Servings

Ingredients for the marinade:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 chicken breasts, thin cut (I butterflied 1 thick one, and then cut it completely in half.)

Ingredients for the salad:

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 3 cups salad greens (I used an arugula & baby spinach blend.)
• 1/3 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 mango, diced
• 1 peach, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup pecans (unsalted or candied)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

In a medium sealable container, add all the marinade ingredients, except the chicken. Whisk to combine, and then add the chicken breast. Make sure you cover the entirety of both pieces with the marinade. Close the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Once the meat has been in the fridge for a sufficient amount of time, Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat, and add the marinated chicken breasts. Grill the chicken for 3-5 minutes per side. Once cooked, remove from grill, and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Once rested, slice the chicken breasts.

While the chicken is cooking, place the honey, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk to combine, and set aside.

Prepare the plates for serving. Divide greens on each plate, and top with the tomatoes, mangoes, peaches, and pecans. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Top with the sliced chicken and parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!!

“The ripest peach is highest on the tree.” – James Whitcomb Riley

Macadamia Crusted Chicken with Tropical Salsa

Mmm if you haven’t had macadamia nuts, you are missin’ out. I LOVE macadamia nuts, and my love for them grew even more when I visited Mauna Loa in Hawaii. This chicken is deliciously enrobed in a macadamia nut crust and topped with a refreshing tropical salsa just in time for summer!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Macadamia Crusted Chicken with Tropical Salsa

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• olive oil cooking spray
• 1 mango, diced
• 1/2 cup pineapple, diced
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped (Depending on how sensitive your onion tastes are, you can use any type. I used yellow since my husband doesn’t care for red onions.)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (depending on how spicy you like salsa, you can omit the seeds)
• 1 tablespoon cilantro
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 lime, cut in half, juice divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 chicken breasts, thinly cut in half (you’ll have 4 pieces)
• salt and black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 cup macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 can light coconut milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover a small baking sheet with foil, and spray with nonstick olive oil cooking spray.

Place the mango, pineapple, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, white vinegar, juice of half a lime, and cumin in a small bowl. Toss to combine, and place in the refrigerator until ready for use.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on each side.

Place the macadamia nuts and panko in a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are finely crushed and well incorporated into the bread crumbs. Dump this mixture on a plate. Pour the coconut milk a small bowl.

Dip each piece of chicken into the coconut milk and then into the bread crumb-nut mixture, be sure to shake off the excess at each dipping.

Place the coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet, squeeze some lime juice on top of each piece (with the remaining half of the lime) and spray with cooking spray again.

Place the sheet in the oven, and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and allow to cool for 2 minutes.

Serve warm with the prepared tropical salsa on top.

Enjoy!!

“I eat everything, that’s a problem. I don’t have discipline. My favorite dish is the Caribbean. Meat, rice, lots of grains. But I do like to do exercises. Lately, I’ve been having capoeira classes and lots of cardiovascular exercises, such as jogging and cycling.” – Ricky Martin

Chicken & Spinach Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce

Chicken Enchiladas! Here is another take on enchiladas. This time we stuffed them with cheesey chicken and spinach, and topped them with a sour cream sauce and tomatillo salsa.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Chicken & Spinach Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce

4 Servings

Ingredients for the sour cream sauce:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Ingredients for the enchiladas:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 ounces fresh baby spinach, chopped
• 1.5 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
• 1/4 cup frozen corn
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1/2 cup monterrey jack cheese, grated
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 10 corn tortillas
• 1 jar of your favorite tomatillo salsa
• sour cream Sauce

Directions:

Place a small pot over medium high heat. Place the butter in it, and melt. Next, add the flour and whisk together until golden. Slowly pour in the broth, and whisk the mixture.

Finally, add the sour cream, salt, and pepper, and whisk together until there are no lumps. Allow the sauce to simmer until it is thickened to your liking. Remove from heat, and set aside for later.

Preheat oven to 400°F, and spray a 7″ x 11″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, and cumin to the pan. Sauté until onions have softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the spinach, and cook and stir until wilted.

Add the chicken, corn, cilantro, 1/4 cup cheese, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined, and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel, and heat in the microwave for 45 seconds to warm up.

Spread the tomatillo salsa on the bottom of the prepared pan as a base.

One by one, fill each tortilla with filling, about 1/3 cup. Sprinkle some cheese on top of the filling and roll tortilla up. Place it in the pan, seam side down. Repeat until all tortillas have been filled. Drizzle the prepared sour cream sauce on top and then the the tomatillo salsa. Top with additional shredded cheese, if you desire.

Cover the pan with foil and place in the oven. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove foil and cook uncovered for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for a couple of minutes.

Serve warm with additional sauce and sour cream sauce.

Enjoy!!

“He’s the Big Enchilada.” – John Ehrlichman

Cajun Tilapia with Pico

Simple and yummy. This fresh fish dish can be on the table in minutes. After a long day at work, what else is better to put on the table besides an easy and fast healthy meal?

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Cajun Tilapia with Pico

2 Servings

Ingredients for the fish:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 boneless tilapia fillets
• cajun seasoning

Ingredients for the salsa:

• 1 small roma tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon jalapeño, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix up all the ingredients for tomato salsa. Set aside until you serve.

Rub the 2 fillets with cajun seasoning on both sides liberally.

Place a medium skillet over medium heat. Add oil to the pan. Cook the fish on both sides, a total of about 5-6 minutes.

Once finished cooking, remove from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Serve warm and top with prepared pico.

Enjoy!!

“Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish – too much handling will spoil it.” – Lao Tzu