dinner inspiration

Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet

Hey y’all! Yesterday I was challenging myself to come up with a meal using what I already had on hand. And I have plenty of chicken!!! In particular boneless skinless chicken breasts. I think I need to share a week’s worth of budget friendly chicken recipes lol. Anyways after checking my pantry and surfing the internet I came up with this recipe that can be made in one pan and in about 30 minutes! The kids enjoyed it and it’s something that can easily be added to a tortilla or on top of nachos.

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (you can use boneless skinless thighs) cut in about 1 inch chunks
1 can of black beans
1 can of diced tomatoes (can also use rotel for a little spice)
2 cups of water (or chicken broth)
1 chicken bouillon cube (not needed if using chicken broth)
1 cup of rice
1 package of taco seasoning and 1/2 pack of ranch seasoning
1 cup of shredded cheese (I use Mexican blend)
2 tablespoons of oil

Directions:

Add oil of choice to pan or skillet and heat on medium high. Add chicken breasts and seasoning and cook til brown about 5-7 minutes. The chicken does not have to be cooked all the way thru as we will be cooking later. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Set heat on medium and add rice. Sauté for about a minute and make sure not to burn. Add beans, diced tomatoes, water and bouillon cube or broth if using. Stir to combine and turn heat back to medium high until it begins boiling. Add chicken back in, set heat to low or simmer and cover. Let steam about 10-15 minutes until rice is cooked thru. Top with cheese and serve with your regular taco toppings.

As always tag me @severalpeoplesmama if you make this!

A lot more recipes to come because my teenagers had decided to change his diet and is no longer eating red meat or pork. I’m kinda proud BUT that means I need to get creative so follow along to see what I come up with by subscribing by email and making sure you’re following me on all my social media!

Love Ricki

Quick Crab Wontons

Last night I decided to share a video on how I made some quick crab wontons to go with our dinner. We had teriyaki chicken & fried rice and even though I could have made egg rolls this was a faster and easier alternative! Check out the video on my IGTV @severalpeoplesmama. Here is the recipe!

Ingredients:

One 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese
One package of flake stye imitation crab meat
One stalk of green onions chopped
Seasoning: I used garlic salt, onion powder and a dash of ranch
1 package of wonton wrappers (you will find this near the salad section in your grocery store)
Vegetable or canola oil

Directions:

Heat oil on medium heat (about 350 if using an electric fryer). Mix cream cheese, crab meat, green onions, and seasonings with a fork breaking up the crab meat. Then spoon a quarter size in to the wonton wrapper. Dab water on your finger and run along each side of the wrapper. Fold wrapper in half til it forms a triangle. Pinch sides in (it will kind of look like a diaper lol). After making several drop in hot oil and cook til golden brown, this will not take long so don’t go anywhere! Repeat til finished and drain on paper towel.

These are delicious on their own or dipped in soy, duck or sweet and sour sauce. Lil Diva enjoyed helping make them because she said it was like origami!

As always tag me on IG if you make them!

Love Ricki

Easy Weeknight Dinner Part 2 – Pesto Ranch Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Need another easy weeknight dinner? I got you!!! This is also a remix of a main dish featured in my Cook Yo Meals Dinner Inspiration Cookbook that I usually make in the crockpot or Instapot. But I have to honestly say I enjoy just as much this way to! So let’s get cooking!

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast butterflied in half (check my highlights on Instagram to see what I mean)
1/4-1/2 cup of olive oil
1 dry ranch seasoning packet
1/4 – 1/2 cup prepared pesto
1 package of petite gold or red potatoes
2 – 3 cups of broccoli and cauliflower
Seasoning (I used garlic salt and powder, onion powder, lemon pepper and black pepper
1/2 onion finely chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic minced
Bacon bits (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Start by rinsing and drying your veggies and potatoes. Make sure you dry them! Especially the potatoes or they won’t crisp up in the oven. Add veggies to a bowl and add 2 – 3 tablespoons of olive oil, your seasonings and 1/3 of the ranch seasoning. You can also add some pesto but I just added bacon bits instead. Add a dash of the chopped onions and garlic. Mix together thoroughly and make sure the veggies are coated in the oil and seasoning and then spread on 1/3 of the sheet pan or a 9 x 13 glass dish. Repeat steps with potatoes in same bowl. I added pesto to the potatoes and left out the bacon bits this time. Add to the pan. Finally in same bowl add chicken and repeat steps to season. Add to sheet pan and place in oven for 25 minutes. Turn meat, potatoes and veggies so it can cook on all sides. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is tender and clear juices come out when pierced with a fork. You can turn on the broiler for about 5 minutes to give everything a crispier texture but I found everything was cooked perfectly and the potatoes were almost perfect!

I love this dish because I only dirtied a bowl and a sheet pan. And the veggies! Y’all if you never roasted your veggies in the oven you’re playing yourself! Even Lil Diva likes them and she’s my resident veggie hater.

If you try this please tag me on Instagram @severalpeoplesmama and also highlights of both this recipe and the Goulash recipe are posted on my page to guide you in making a delicious dinner for you and/or your family!!!

Love Ricki

Easy weeknight dinner Part 1 – Shrimp & Sausage Goulash

Here is part 1 of a quick and easy weeknight dinner I made last week. Don’t be fooled by the name! I am sure this is not a traditional goulash but that’s what I was raised to call it so don’t come for me okay!!! Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

1 pound of medium sized shrimp, cleaned, peeled and deveined
1 pound of sausage of your choice, sliced into coins
1 can of tomato paste
3-4 cups of water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1-2 cups of frozen okra
1/2 to 1 medium onion chopped
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1-2 tablespoons of butter optional
Creole seasoning of choice as well as onion & garlic powder and black pepper
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil or oil of choice

Directions:

Start by sautéing onions in olive oil on medium high heat. Add sausage and minced garlic until sausage is fully cooked and onions are translucent. Add full can of tomato paste and mix in with sausage and onions. Add 1-2 cups of water and whisk til combined. Make sure you add water to the can if using, you want every bit of that tomato paste! With burner still on medium heat add an additional cup of water and the chicken bouillon cube. Season sauce. Add a little seasoning stir, let simmer for a minute or two and then taste to see if more is needed. Remember you are using creole seasoning sand you added a chicken bouillon cube so be mindful of the salt. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes and then add shrimp and frozen okra (you don’t have to thaw it out, it will cook quickly in the sauce). Let simmer covered on low for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in butter if using and taste to see if anymore seasoning is needed. Enjoy over rice. You can also add chicken breast or thighs (boneless, skinless) just add prior to cooking onions & sausage.

Let me know if you try this and tag me on IG @severalpeoplesmama

Love Ricki

Make this and wings for the Super Bowl! Naked Chicken Fries (Tenders) in 2 Sauces

In my next cookbook I want to focus on foods that will be quick, easy, budget & kid friendly (Lil Diva approved)! This recipe is all of those things! And it’s Keto Friendly to boot! I would make these along with wings for your next Super Bowl party, you can just double the recipe for the sauces and use it to dip your wings and the chicken fries. Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

2-3 Chicken breasts cut into thin strips
1 to 1 1/2 cups of vegetable and canola oil
Seasoning of choice – I used dry ranch dressing mix, Tony’s creole seasoning and garlic and onion powder
2 sticks of salted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of 1 lemon, as well as zest
2 teaspoons of cracked black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon of lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Pre-heat oven and 350 degrees and heat oil in skillet. I use an electric skillet that was under $20 bucks from Walmart and I only use it for frying. I love it because you can set the temperature so you know what you’re cooking at. Season the chicken. Don’t go heavy on the seasoning, if you just use salt and pepper that’s fine because you will be coating the chicken in sauce. Drop chicken in oil. Watch closely, the chicken is thin and cooks up quickly.

While cooking melt butter in microwave for about a minute. Separate butter in two bowls big enough for the chicken to sit in. Add minced garlic and garlic salt to one bowl and the lemon juice, zest, 1 tsp of black pepper and the lemon pepper seasoning to the other. Once chicken is done drain on paper towel for 1-2 minutes and then add to sauces. Mix chicken in sauces and let sit for 3-5 minutes.

Then add to a cookie sheet. Repeat til all chicken is coated in the sauce. Sprinkle garlic parmesan chicken with grated parmesan and the lemon pepper chicken with the other teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Bake in oven for 3-5 minutes, we just want to bake the sauce in the chicken really well.

Enjoy with ranch or blue cheese dressing and carrots & celery sticks.

You can have a simple Super Bowl or any type of party at home by making these and the Easy Cheesesteak Slider and you are set! Well I would add a little adult beverage and then I’m set lol! Let me know if you try this and make sure to tag me on IG @severalpeoplesmama or share in the Cook Yo Meals Facebook Group!

Love Ricki