Of all the ways to transform a boring piece of chicken breast, Monterey style is a surefire move towards flavor wow!

I mean…chicken, bbq sauce, bacon, cheese, diced tomato, and your favorite aromatics. Quintessential ‘Layers of Flavor.”

The original Cobb Salad was born one late night in the kitchen of Hollywood’s Brown Derby restaurant. Back in in 1937, owner Robert Cobb had a late-night hankering for a satisfying meal. He began pulling readily available ingredients into a bowl. This kitchen sink salad was promptly added to the menu and became a runaway hit!

EAT COBB:  Eggs, Avocado, Tomato, Chicken, Onion, Bacon, Blue Cheese.

There are so many wonderful adaptations to the original Cobb Salad version. Here’s how I build a Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad!

Clearly we’ve transformed boring chicken breasts with all these wonderful toppings.

Now let’s transform the salad! This is your chance to add your favorite ingredients. The Cobb Salad is a great way to use up leftovers.

At the same time the Cobb Salad was gaining in popularity, so was the table-side preparation. This type of dining experience was catching on quickly. It’s what we fondly refer to as dinner and a show. Today, as we find ourselves eating in vs. dining out, any opportunity to serve a meal family-style is welcomed in this house.

Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad is a family favorite that even your most challenging eaters will enjoy!!

Love the Monterey flavors check out Monterey Loaded Nachos Fries and the Monterey Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad

Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad is a family favorite that even your most challenging eaters will enjoy!!

Course Main Course

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Monterey Chicken

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 2 pounds
• 6 Tablespoons hickory bbq sauce or favorite
• 6 slices bacon cooked crispy
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 Roma tomato diced
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 1 jalepeno finely diced

For the Salad

• 8-10 cups lettuce chopped
• 3 hardboiled eggs quartered
• 2 avocado diced
• 2-3 Roma tomatoes diced
• 3 scallions thinly sliced
• 2 corn on the cobb roasted, kernels removed from cobb
• 6 strips bacon cooked crisp, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

For the Chili Ranch Dressing

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mayonaise
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chives (or parsley) minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• pinch black pepper

Instructions

For the Monterey Chicken

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grill chicken breasts until almost done (about 155 degrees).
• Top each grilled chicken breasts with a schmear of bbq sauce, two slices of crispy bacon and a handful of shredded cheese. Place in oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and chicken registers 165 degrees.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with diced tomato, jalapeno and scallion. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

For the Chili Ranch Dressing

• Combine all ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

For the Salad

• Place all salad ingredients on large platter. Top with sliced Monterey Chicken and drizzle with Chili Ranch Dressing.

The post Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Oven-Baked because when it comes to chicken wings – they are equally delicious prepared in the oven as they are deep fried. And well….New Years resolutions!

Of Love! It just sums up how we feel about these finger-licking good crispy chicken delights!

If you’ve ever had Bang Bang Shrimp then you know how crazy good this crispy sweet heat combination is! There was a time when I’d crave these shrimp and have to make a trek to the nearest Bone Fish Grill. Now we make them at home without sacrificing flavor!

The wings are tossed in a mixture of panko and cornstarch, then layered on a rack lined baking sheet and baked for an hour at 400 degrees F.

The magic happens when the wings are tossed in the heavenly Quick & Easy 4-Ingredient Bang Bang Sauce. It has just the right balance of tangy sweet heat and comes together quickly.

Oven-Baked Bang Bang Chicken Wings of Love make the perfect crowd-pleasing Game Day treat!

Have you got a favorite flavor pairing? I’m always on the lookout for new chicken wing inspiration. We’re thinking Dill Pickle should be next up!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Oven-Baked Bang Bang Chicken Wings of Love!

Oven-Baked Bang Bang Chicken Wings of Love make the perfect crowd-pleasing Game Day treat!

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Oven-Baked Wings

• 1 pound chicken wings flats & drums separated
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (Gluten Free for GF version)

For the Bang Bang Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
• 1 Tablespoon honey

Instructions

For the Oven-Baked Wings

• Preheat the oven to 400° F. Place a rack in a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a large bowl combine cornstarch and panko. Toss wings in mixture then place on rack in a single layer. Bake for 1 hour.

For the Bang Bang Sauce

• In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients. Place baked wings in a large bowl, add sauce and toss to coat.

The post Oven-Baked Bang Bang Chicken Wings of Love! appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

As we head squarely into soup season this creamy delicious pot of love deserves to be on rotation.

Yes this soup is loaded with tender chicken and rice.

Making the Soup

However it is the signature ingredients (Avgo-lemono = egg + lemon) that give this comforting soup it’s fresh bright flavor and soothing creamy finish.

When time permits, begin by making a big batch of Homemade Chicken Broth. I even do this a day or two in advance. Then I have some for the soup pot and some for the freezer.

To make this classic Greek Chicken & Rice Soup, begin with a mirepoix sautéed in olive oil. Then add garlic and fresh parsley, followed by good quality chicken stock.

When the broth comes to a gently boil, add rice and simmer until just tender. Then juicy chicken meat is added along with fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Tempering the Eggs

The one important step in making this soup is tempering the eggs before adding them to the hot broth. We don’t want our eggs to scramble in the hot liquid.

To do this, beat eggs in a small bowl. Add a ladle full of the hot soup to the egg and whisk quickly. Then return this mixture to the soup pot, whisking continuously until well combined.

The result is a silky broth loaded with tender chicken and rice, with a kiss of lemon.

There’s no reason not to bring the Greek Islands into your kitchen with this delightfully fresh and beautiful soup.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Agolemono (Greek Chicken & Rice Soup)

Greek Chicken & Rice Soup, also known as Avgolemono, is a wonderfully hearty soup with fresh bursts of lemon throughout.

Course Soup

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, about 1 cup fine diced
• 3 carrots, about 1 cup fine diced
• 2 celery stalks, about 1 cup fine diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley fine chopped
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup rice triple rinsed
• 2 lemons, juiced about 1/2 cup
• 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded 2 breasts or a rotisserie chicken
• 3 eggs
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Over medium heat, heat olive oil in large dutch oven or soup pot. Add onion, carrot and celery and saute until just tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and parsley and cook an additional minute. Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, add in rice and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in lemon juice and cooked chicken and heat through.
• To temper the eggs, beat eggs in a small bowl. Add one ladle of hot soup broth to eggs and whisk quickly. Return egg/broth mixture to soup pot and whisk to combine. Remove from heat. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

The post Avgolemono {Greek Chicken & Rice Soup} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

You know I love to roll my favorite flavors into Meatballs of Love!

The warm Indian spices found in Butter Chicken were the perfect pairing for meatballs. And the sauce is pure heaven!

The Curry Spice Blend

Curry in its most basic form is a type of sauce used in Indian cooking. These sauces or gravies are seasoned with a blend of spices, typically including cumin, turmeric, coriander and others like garam masala (which is a blend on its own) and chili powder.

I’ve found preparing the curry spice blend first when making a recipe like this to be a great time saver. Measure once, use twice.

We’re going to incorporate the same seasoning blend in the meatballs and the curry sauce.

• Ground cumin
• Garam masala
• Ground coriander
• Turmeric
• Red chili powder
• Salt

The Chicken Meatball Ingredients

Ground chicken is a wonderful protein that loves big bold flavors. The meatball ingredients come together quickly!

• Ground chicken
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Curry Spice Blend
• Egg
• Panko breadcrumbs

Meatball Preparation

• Mix all the meatball ingredients (except chicken)
• Then add the ground chicken and mix until just combined
• Roll into 1 1/2″ meatballs
• Place on a parchment lined baking sheet
• Bake the meatballs at 400 degrees F. for 20 minutes

The Butter Curry Sauce Ingredients

Like Chicken Tikka Masala, the curry sauce is savory with hints of ginger and garlic. However Butter Chicken also brings a smooth buttery consistency.

• Ghee
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Curry Spice Blend
• Tomato paste & sauce
• Chicken broth
• Cream or coconut milk
• Butter
• Salt & sugar to taste

Butter Curry Sauce Preparation

• The sauce begins by sautéing grated onion with melted ghee or butter for 4-5 minutes
• Then the garlic & ginger are added and sautéed for an additional minute
• Add the curry spices and cooked off for a minute
• Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce along with a little chicken broth to bring the ingredients together

• The sauce is then blended until smooth and returned to the pan
• The cream and butter are whisked in
• A final seasoning of salt and a touch of sugar to taste bring the sauce together
• Serve meatballs over basmati rice, covered in curry butter sauce, garnished with fresh cilantro

This sauce is fragrant and full of spice flavor without heat. It’s luscious served over a bed of basmati rice topped with the tender butter chicken meatballs.

Simple Butter Chicken Meatballs over Basmati Rice is on our comfort food rotation!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Simple Butter Chicken Meatballs Over Basmati Rice

The warm Indian spices found in Butter Chicken were the perfect pairing for meatballs. And the sauce is pure heaven!

Course Entree

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Curry Spice Blend

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons garam masala
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the Chicken Meatballs

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/4 cup grated onion squeezed dry in kitchen or paper towel
• 3 cloves fine minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 Tablespoons Curry Spice Blend see above
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free for GF Version)

For the Butter Curry Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons ghee or butter
• 1/4 cup grated onion
• 3 cloves fine minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
• 3 Tablespoons Curry Spice Blend see above
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk or heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• salt to taste

For the Basmati Rice

• 1 cups basmati rice triple rinsed and drained
• 1 Tablespoon ghee or butter
• 1 3/4 cups water
• Cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions

For the Curry Spice Blend

• Combine the curry spices in a jar.

For the Chicken Meatballs

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients, except the chicken in a large bowl. Add in the ground chicken and mix until just combined. Roll meatballs into 1 1/2" diameter and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

For the Basmati Rice

• Meanwhile, melt ghee in a skillet with a tight fitting lid. Saute rinsed and drained basmati rice for 2-3 minutes until all grains are nicely coated with ghee. Add water and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork before serving.

For the Butter Curry Sauce

• While meatballs bake and rice cooks, prepare the sauce. Melt ghee in a heavy bottom saucepan. Add in grated onion and saute for 4-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute. Add remaining curry spice blend and stir for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Then add tomato sauce and chicken broth and whisk until incorporated well. Bring sauce to a gentle boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Transfer sauce to a blender and process until smooth. **Careful with hot liquids when removing blender lid** Add sauce back to saucepan and whisk in cream and butter, heat through. Season with sugar and salt to taste.

  Serve meatballs covered in butter curry sauce with a side of basmati rice. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

The post Simple Butter Chicken Meatballs Over Basmati Rice appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

These sticky sticks are finger-licking good. The Kung Pao sauce packs a little heat with giant sweet and savory flavors!

The Kung Pao Sauce

This Asian inspired sauce is sweet, savory and slightly spicy. When cooked, the sauce thickens making it the perfect marinade and basting sauce.

The shallot and garlic are sautéed in olive oil, then the remaining ingredients are added. Bring to a boil and allow to cool completely.

• Olive oil
• Shallot & garlic
• Honey
• Soy Sauce (or coconut aminos)
• Rice Wine Vinegar
• Ginger
• Chili Crisp Oil (or sriracha hot sauce)

Instructions

Marinate 4 chicken drumsticks for 1-2 hours in cooled Kung Pao sauce. You can easily double or triple this recipe!

Remove chicken from Kung Pao Sauce and place on a rack set in a foil lined baking sheet. Pour sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

The Method

Many recipes I reviewed called for frying the chicken legs before baking.  I opted to go for a total baked version, basting along the way with boiled sauce. 

Bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes or until internal temp. registers 175 degrees when stuck with meat thermometer.  They will be crispy, juicy and delicious!

We have one of those great meat fork thermometers.  If you don’t, I recommend the ThermoWorks one.  And I’d get it today and gift it to the house grill master.

Serve the drumsticks topped with crushed peanuts and sliced scallions.  Serve with fingers and napkins. These chicken wings pack so much flavor you’ll want to make them again and again!

Do you have a favorite finger food you’d like for me to recreate here? I’d love for you to share in the comments below.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Kung Pao Chicken Drumsticks

This Asian inspired sauce is sweet, savory and slightly spicy. When cooked, the sauce thickens making it the perfect marinade and basting sauce.

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Time to Marinate 2 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the sauce…

• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 small shallot minced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tbl. grated ginger
• 1 Tbl. rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbl. soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1 Tbl. brown sugar
• 1/2 Tbl. sriracha or chili crisp oil

For the chicken…

• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 1 scallion thinly sliced

Instructions

For the sauce…

• Saute shallot in olive oil until tender, add garlic for 1 minute. Then add remaining ingredients and bring to slow boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Cool completely before adding sauce to chicken for marinating.

For the chicken…

• Marinate drumsticks in Kung Pao sauce for 1-2 hours, reserving some sauce for basting.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken legs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until done to your liking when stuck with meat thermometer. Baste drumsticks 3-4 times during the cooking time.
• Top with crushed peanuts and sliced scallions.

The post Kung Pao Chicken Drumsticks That Are Finger-Licking Good! appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

And run hard!

The fun thing is, this recipe is SOOOO easy!!

Easy enough that even my college kids can handle this recipe. #collegecooking

Back in March I decided to run with a series of meatball recipes called March Meatball Madness. April is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month and I embraced that as well.

When May rolled around I challenged myself to put out a new Chicken Wing recipe each week for 5 consecutive weeks. We ate a lot of wings! And no one was complaining.

I’m not sure how many chicken wing flavor combinations is enough for one blog to bear. But we’re committed to find out!!

Random thought. Remember the Tootsie Roll commercial. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop? I’m feeling that. Except I’m not willing to give in at 3 or 5 or even possibly 10 chicken wing flavors. Let’s hold off and see how many flavors it takes to create the perfect Chicken Wing Recipe Roundup!!

The Honey Garlic Butter Sauce

The key is a 5-Ingredient Honey Garlic Butter Sauce that’s out of this world.

• The sauce starts with butter. Because butter.
• Next comes garlic. Lots of garlic.
• Then of course we add honey.
• Soy sauce (or coconut aminos for a gluten free version) adds a salty influence.
• Finish with sriracha hot sauce!

So simple, yet this sticky sweet buttery sauce elevates baked chicken wings to near perfection. Humbly, I hold back!

The Method

For this recipe, start by tossing your chicken wings in garlic powder, salt & pepper. Lay them on a rack over a foil lined baking sheet. Bake them at 400 degrees F. for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Don’t be afraid to broil them for a few minutes at the end to achieve crispy perfection.

Pour that luscious sauce over the baked wings then toss to coat!

Recipe Note: Depending on your tossing skills you might want to move outside for this step!

Did I mention that these wings are insanely good? They are a fabulous addition to any game day spread or tailgating party!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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The Best Honey Garlic Chicken Wing Recipe

Honey Garlic Chicken Wings are so simple. The sticky sweet buttery sauce elevates the baked chicken wings to near perfection.

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Wings

• 2 pounds chicken wings flats & drumettes separated
• 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

For the Honey Garlic Butter Sauce

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic fine chopped
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos for GF version)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha hot sauce

Instructions

For the Wings

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Place a rack over a foil lined baking sheet.
• Combine garlic powder, salt & pepper in a zipper top bag or bowl. Add wings and toss to coat. Arrange wings in a single layer on prepared rack. Bake at 400° F. for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Switch oven to broil for last 5 minutes if needed.

For the Honey Garlic Butter Sauce

• In a small saucepan over medium low heat melt butter. Add finely chopped garlic and simmer for a minute. Add honey, soy sauce and sriracha and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and allow to rest.
• Once wings are cooked through and crispy transfer to a large bowl. Pour sauce over wings and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

The post The Best Honey Garlic Chicken Wing Recipe appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

This dish is one of our family favorite comfort foods. The layers of flavor build from the spice blends to the sofrito to the savory aromatics.

Arroz Con Pollo (Spanish for chicken and rice) is a one-pan traditional Latin-American dish full of culture and history.

As with so many classic recipes there is much debate about its origin. No question it shares many similarities to Spanish Paella but this dish also has roots in the Caribbean. While traveling I’ve enjoyed versions of this chicken & rice comfort food in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Haiti. All delicious!

The recipe that I’m going to share will most resemble the Puerto Rican profile with a few influences from the other islands.

Arroz Con Pollo Components

Let’s break this recipe down into components as follows:

• Achiote Oil (made from Annatto Seeds)
• Sofrito (made from peppers, onions, garlic & culantro leaves)
• Adobo Seasoning
• Sazon Seasoning
• Chicken (we use bone-in, skin-on thighs and legs)
• Rice (medium grain is best)
• Cooking liquid (chicken broth is best)
• Aromatics (we added pigeon peas, green peas, and Spanish olives)

Don’t let the number of components deter you from making this dish. There are a few short cuts if needed that we’ll walk through.

Achiote Oil

Achiote Oil is made by gently heating annatto seeds in olive oil. The result is a gorgeous crimson colored oil that has a slightly sweet peppery flavor.

Shortcut – you can purchase premade Achiote Oil at specialty markets or online. However it is so simple to make and we’ll use those annatto seeds for the Sazon Seasoning as well.

Sofrito

Sofrito is a flavor base of herbs and aromatics used in Latin cooking, much like a French mirepoix or the Cajun holy trinity. This Simple Sofrito Recipe consists of peppers, onions, garlic, culantro leaves, olive oil and salt.

Shortcut – Premade Sofrito can be found on most grocery store shelves. But trust me – it’s hard to beat the fresh flavor of homemade for this key component.

Adobo & Sazon Seasoning Blends

You’ve likely noticed both of these seasoning blends on the grocery store shelves in the Latin/Mexican sections. Adobo and Sazon are widely used in Latin, Mexican and Caribbean cooking. The ingredients are similar but different and neither are hot and spicy, just full of spice flavor.

As I’ve said before, making your own seasoning blends at home is a great way to use ingredients you likely have on hand. And you can exclude ingredients you don’t want or need. Bye, bye MSG! Click on the links below for the exact measurements.

Adobo Seasoning contains: garlic powder, turmeric, oregano, cumin, salt and black pepper.
Sazon Seasoning contains: garlic powder, oregano, coriander, cumin, ground annatto seeds, and salt.

Shortcut – as mentioned above, Adobo and Sazon seasonings are readily available on the shelves in most grocery stores. Just be mindful of the added MSG and sodium.

Chicken

For this Latin Chicken & Rice recipe I prefer skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and legs. And more specifically I am a HUGE fan of Springer Mountain Farms chicken.

Springer Mountain Farms is located an hour north of us, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their chickens are raised on a hormone, antibiotic and pesticide-free diet. Their PLUS line of products is 100% American-grown, non-GMO verified, vegetarian and gluten free. The best part is the juicy delicious flavor. And no, I was not paid to say this. I just love this product!

Rice

Medium Grain White Rice is the best choice for this recipe. It’s moist and tender and slightly sticky. Long grain would be too dry in this recipe and short grain, which is typically used for making sushi is too sticky. I was able to locate medium grain rice at my local market and it’s readily available online. Here’s a quick reference guide to rice if you’re interested.

Cooking Liquid

Another way to infuse flavor into this rice based dish is to use chicken broth instead of water to cook the rice. Homemade Chicken Broth is so nutritious and easy to make. I freeze two-cup containers to have on hand.

Aromatics

In addition to the achiote oil, the sofrito, the adobo seasoned chicken, and the sazon seasoning….there’s another way to bring extra flavor to this classic dish. That’s through aromatics.

• For this recipe I added pigeon peas which are actually a kind of bean and the key ingredient in Arroz Con Gandules.
• I also added green Spanish olives and green peas.
• At the end I garnished the dish with fresh cilantro and diced red pepper for a bright look and flavor pop.

The Cooking Process

Prepare the Achiote Oil, Sofrito, Adobo & Sazon Seasoning Blends.

Liberally season the chicken pieces with Adobo Seasoning. Render the pork fat in a heavy bottom shallow pot or caldero, then pan brown the chicken pieces over medium heat until deep golden brown on both sides.

Remove browned chicken pieces and reserve. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of oil.

Add 3 Tablespoons of achiote oil. Saute 1/2 cup Sofrito in oil for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Add 2 1/2 cups of medium grain rice that has been triple rinsed to remove excess starch. Toast rice for 3 minutes, which yields a rich slightly nutty flavor.

Return chicken pieces to toasted rice. Add drained pigeon peas if using. Pour in 3 cups chicken broth, 2 bay leaves and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of Sazon seasoning.

Bring to a boil and simmer until the broth has reduced to just below the rice level. Then cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer for about 20 – 25 minutes until the rice is tender. Remove from heat. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Add green peas, Spanish olives and diced red sweet pepper. Cover again and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Latin Chicken & Rice is a wonderful Sunday Supper, comfort food dish, family-gathering kind of meal. You can just taste the rich history in every bite.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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How To Make Latin Chicken & Rice (Arroz Con Pollo)

Arroz Con Pollo (Spanish for chicken and rice) is a one-pan traditional Latin-American dish full of culture and history.

Course Entree

Cuisine Latin-American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs & legs about 8 pieces
• 1/3 cup Adobo Seasoning Blend see recipe link in post
• 1/4 cup salt pork or diced bacon pieces
• 3 Tablespoons Achiote Oil see recipe link in post
• 1/2 cup Sofrito see recipe link in post
• 2 1/2 cups medium grain white rice triple rinsed
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup canned pigeon peas drained
• 2 teaspoons Sazon Seasoning Blend see recipe link in post
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup frozen peas thawed
• 1/2 cup Spanish olives
• 1/4 cup red sweet pepper diced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

• If making from scratch, prepare Achiote Oil, Sofrito, Adobo and Sazon Seasoning Blends.
  
• Liberally season chicken pieces with adobo seasoning.
  
• In a large heavy bottomed shallow pot or caldero, render pork fat over medium heat. Remove cooked pork pieces. Pan brown chicken pieces in batches until deep golden brown on both sides. Remove and reserve. Pour off all but about 1 Tablespoon of oil from pan.
  
• Add 3 Tablespoons of achiote oil to pan. Saute the sofrito for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the rinsed rice to the pan and toast, stirring frequently for about 3-5 minutes just until the rice starts to turn color.
  
• Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan, along with the pigeon peas and bay leaves. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sazon seasoning. Add 3 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer until liquid is reduced to just below rice level. Reduce the heat to low and cover with tight fitting lid or aluminum foil. Simmer for 20 – 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning to taste.
  
• Stir in olives, green peas, and chopped sweet red pepper. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
  

The post How To Make Latin Chicken & Rice (Arroz Con Pollo) appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Puff Pastry Rocks!

We filled the buttery crisp dough with savory Buffalo Chicken Dip and baked it until it was warm and gooey! Your guests (and your family) will love this quick & easy appetizer!

I made this recipe for our neighborhood Thirsty Thursday gathering and it was a hit! As in, there were merely crumbs left at the end of the evening.

How to Assemble the Stromboli

• Thaw the puff pastry sheets at room temperature for about 40 minutes
• Unwrap and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet
• Generously fill the center third of the dough with cold buffalo chicken dip
• Sprinkle with green onion and crumbled blue cheese

• Using a pairing knife, cut 12 strips into the left and right thirds of the dough
• Alternate folding strips over filling, overlapping as you go
• Trim the last strips if necessary
• Brush with beaten egg
• Bake at 375 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown

The great thing about this Simple Buffalo Chicken Braided Stromboli recipe is everyone loves Buffalo Chicken Dip AND the result looks fancy, but is super easy to assemble.

The flavor pairings for these puff pastry Stromboli’s are endless. We’ve done Sausage, Peppers & Caramelized Onion; Bacon, Egg & Cheese; and Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Simple Buffalo Chicken Braided Stromboli

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Time to Thaw Puff Pastry 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened & cubed
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• 1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken a rotisserie chicken works well
• 3 scallions thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 17.3 ounce box frozen puff pastry (2 sheets) thawed
• 1 large egg beaten

Instructions

• Thaw puff pastry at room temperature for 40-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

For the Buffalo Chicken Dip

• Meanwhile, prepare buffalo chicken dip. In a medium pan over medium heat, combine cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, ranch dressing and Frank's Hot Sauce. Stir until melted and fulled combined. Remove from heat and fold in shredded chicken. Cool.
• Unfold pastry sheets. Generously fill center third of each sheet with cooled buffalo chicken dip. Sprinkle each with half the sliced scallions and 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese.
• Using a pairing knife, cut 12 strips into the left and right thirds of each pastry sheet, as shown in the images above. Alternate folding strips over filling, creating a 'braid'. Trim last strips if necessary. Brush tops with beaten egg.
• Bake at 375° F. for 35-40 minutes until tops of pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool slightly. Slice and enjoy!

The post Simple Buffalo Chicken Braided Stromboli appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

If you love Chicken Enchiladas like we do, this casserole version is a time saver without sacrificing one ounce of flavor.

This week’s College Cooking recipe is a great weeknight meal. It comes together pretty quickly and it’s just as good leftover the next day.

If you’re looking to feed a game-day crowd, this casserole style is perfect for that too!

The Enchiladas Ingredients

• Enchiladas Sauce – Homemade is always better, but you can sub your favorite jar variety.
• Tortillas – I used 7″ flour tortillas, but you can use any size you like.
• Chicken – Rotisserie chicken is a nice shortcut. You can count on it being moist and super flavorful! However, you can cook chicken breasts in a crockpot or instant pot as well.
• Beans – I used refried beans in this casserole but you can use black beans or pinto beans.
• Peppers – To give this dish it’s classic Mexican taste, add mild diced chiles, jalapeno, or poblano peppers. Or use them all for great bold flavor.
• Corn – I love using fire roasted corn, but frozen or even canned works fine in this recipe.
• Cheese – Don’t skimp on the shredded cheese. Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Pepperjack all work great in enchiladas.
• Extras – I had salsa on hand and fresh cilantro so I included both. I served the casserole with extra cheese, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro and sour cream.

Recipe Tips

• Here’s a link to our Homemade Enchiladas Sauce Recipe with step-by-step instructions.
• When removing the chicken meat from a rotisserie chicken, it’s much easier to do while it’s still warm.
• Fire roasted corn & poblanos is easy to do with either a gas stove or on a grill. Check out this recipe for tips on removing the blackened skins from the poblanos.
• If using refried beans, microwave them for a minute to soften them before mixing with remaining ingredients.
• Feel free to add more or less of your favorite ingredients. This recipe allows for substitutions and don’t forget the toppings!

The Casserole Assembly

• Prepare your enchiladas sauce
• Dice your cooked chicken and combine with remaining ingredients
• Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish
• Top with a layer of flour tortillas, then a layer of the chicken mixture, then a layer of sauce
• Repeat two more times (3-layers total)
• Finish with a layer of shredded cheese
• Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until casserole begins to bubble around edges.
• Allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

There’s a reason the word ‘casserole’ is in the title of this recipe. Because casseroles equal comfort food and this one definitely qualifies!

If you make this recipe, please drop me a comment below! I’d love to see pictures too! Tag me on social media @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook! Use the hashtag #collegecooking .

All my best,
xo Libby

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Loaded Easy Chicken Enchiladas Casserole

Loaded Easy Chicken Enchiladas Casserole has all of your favorite ingredients layered into a delicious crowd-pleasing comfort food dish.

Course Entree

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

For the Enchiladas Sauce

• 3 Tablespoons canola or avocado oil
• 1 Tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 10 ounces tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Casserole

• 16 7" Flour Tortillas
• 3-4 cups cooked chicken diced 1 – 4 lb. rotisserie chicken
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Cheddar and/or Pepperjack)
• 2 ears corn on the cob, roasted kernels removed or 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 15 ounce can refried beans
• 1 4 ounce can mild green chiles
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted skins removed diced
• 1/2 cup enchiladas sauce see above
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup salsa optional

For the Toppings

• sour cream
• sliced avocado or guacamole
• fresh cilantro
• shredded cheese

Instructions

For the Enchiladas Sauce

• In a medium saucepan heat oil over medium heat, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon.
• Cook for 1 minute, then add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Whisk to combine.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the Casserole

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• In a large bowl, combine cooked diced chicken, 2 cups of shredded cheese, and remaining casserole ingredients.
• Spread a thin layer of prepared enchiladas sauce in bottom of 9×13 casserole dish. Top with layer of tortillas, 1/3 of chicken mixture, a thin layer of enchiladas sauce. Repeat two more times. Then finish with final layer of tortillas, thin layer of sauce and top with 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until edges begin to bubble. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with optional toppings above.

The post Loaded Easy Chicken Enchiladas Casserole appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

You know the kind even your manly man will eat. But packed full of nutrients without extra calories. 

Because let’s face it, most of us don’t need empty calories and are perfectly happy as long as we’re satisfied.  This chili is definitely satisfying.

Building the Chili Flavor

The sweet potato is the star ingredient as it balances the chili seasonings so well. 

Because I was making this chili to share the love with one my work family members, I kept the heat out of it and instead focused on flavor.  Chili powder, ground oregano, garlic powder, and cumin will never let you down.

I also fire roasted the corn and poblano peppers, adding a little smoky flavor to the chili.

If you want to stretch this Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili a little farther, double the quantity of veggies & diced tomatoes and season accordingly.  In addition to the sweet potatoes, I added carrots, onions, red bell & poblano peppers, zucchini, corn, diced tomatoes and black beans.

I hope you’ll give this dish a try and as always I welcome and enjoy your feedback.

Recipe inspiration.  My Healthy Choices lunch buddy shared a new favorite dish, which was baked sweet potato topped with taco seasoned ground turkey and salsa.  It was delicious and has been lingering in my mind ever since.

We are so ready for chili season and have a collection of recipes for your enjoyment.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili

My motivation for this Heart Healthy Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili was to deliver a flavor packed hearty chili.

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey cooked and drained
• 2 small sweet potatoes peeled & cubed (about 2 cups)
• 2 Tbl. olive oil divided
• 1 carrot peeled and sliced
• 1 med. onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper optional
• 1 poblano pepper fire roasted, skins removed
• 1 zucchini diced
• 2 ears corn on the cob or 1 cup frozen
• 1 28- ounce diced tomatoes
• 1 4.5- ounce can diced mild green chiles
• 1 14- ounce can black beans drained & rinsed
• 2 Tbl. chili powder
• 1 Tbl. dried oregano
• 1 Tbl. garlic powder
• 1 Tbl. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• cayenne pepper optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread diced sweet potatoes on a cooking spray coated baking sheet. Bake for 15 -20 minutes or until just tender.
• Meanwhile in a Dutch oven, add 1 Tbl. olive oil and brown ground turkey. Remove from pan and reserve. Add additional 1 Tbl. of olive oil and diced onion and carrot to pot. Saute until onion is tender. Add in remaining veggies and tomatoes, chiles, black beans and seasoning and bring to a gentle simmer; cook for 10 minutes.
• Add cooked sweet potatoes and ground turkey to the pot; heat through. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Serve with favorite toppings, such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro.

Notes

Seasoning chili should be done according to taste. Adding gradually as the dish builds is how we arrive at the right balance.

The post Heart Healthy Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili appeared first on Lemony Thyme.