Chicken Tag

Thai food has always been a favorite of mine. I love curries, chicken satay, and naan SO much. Although eating out at my favorite Thai place has been a treat, I rarely do it anymore because of the sneaky oils that are added to most sauces. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but most restaurants use soybean or canola oil in their recipes. I also learned I have a soy allergy so eating out has become quite tricky for me. Because these oils are so inflammatory, I try and avoid them as much as possible.

This well-balanced salad recipe came from a blogger and cook book author I really enjoy following, Cassie Joy Garcia of Fed and Fit. Here’s the original recipe for reference. She has so many great recipes that are simple and great for meal-prep. I made this recipe for my meal prep customers this past week and got rave reviews! It will be a staple on the salad rotation for sure.

Salad Ingredients

To keep it traditional, I used red pepper, carrot, cabbage, green onion, and cilantro over a bed of green lettuce. You can add whatever veggies you love and whatever greens base you prefer. Slice the veggies very thin so the dressing can coat everything nicely.

For protein, I used chicken breast so I could have the chicken satay feel, but fish, shrimp, or even chickpeas would be a great substitute. You could also skip the protein all the together and make it a side dish! I like to make big batches of chicken breast in my instant pot and freeze in 1lb portions for future recipes. So for this recipe, I used leftover chicken, which made it come together so quick.

Peanut Dressing

It is so hard for me to not lick this bowl clean. The sweet and savory balance of peanut butter, lime, coconut aminos, and a little honey just takes me back to the best chicken satay I had a few years ago in Minneapolis. My husband and I were doing Whole30 and although we definitely cheated with this meal, it was so worth it. As I type this, I just got the brilliant idea to use this sauce to make satay at home! If you try it before me, let me know how it goes.

I particularly like this recipe because she uses coconut aminos rather than soy sauce, which is perfect for those avoiding soy in all forms. Soy sauce is often made with genetic modified soybeans and an insane amount of salt. Coconut aminos, for me, is a perfect replacement. If you haven’t had it before, I highly recommend! You can find it at your local natural foods store, Whole Foods, Amazon, or Trader Joes. TJ’s has the best deal on coconut aminos!

How To Make This Salad

This recipe rocks because it comes together very quickly. If you use leftover chicken it comes together in about 15 minutes. Here are the steps:

1. Prepare the veggies: Chop, slice, and dice.
2. Add protein of choice.
3. Mix the dressing ingredients together until smooth and drizzle over top.

Meal Prep and Storage

This recipe should make about 2 salads depending on how big you like your salads. You will probably have a little peanut dressing left over. I tossed my chicken in the sauce before adding to the salad and then drizzled more over top. Package them up in glass containers with the dressing in a separate jar and you’ll have 3 delicious and healthy salads ready to go for those busy days when you don’t have time to make lunch or you’re too tired to even think about it. The peanut dressing will thicken in the fridge. Don’t worry, that’s normal! Leave it on the counter for about 20 minutes before serving if you prefer a less thick dressing.

Let me know what you think in the comments, on Facebook or my Instagram page. Happy Eating!

Thai Chicken Salad

A healthy twist on my favorite chicken satay dish at Thai restaurants. Easy and great for meal-prep!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch, Meal Prep, Salad

Cuisine Thai

Equipment

• cutting board
• Knives
• salad bowls
• Forks
• Measuring cups and spoons
• whisk
• prep bowls

Ingredients

  

Salad Ingredients

• 8oz shredded chicken breast about 1.5 cups or so. Add more if desired.
• 7-8 handfuls greens of choice romaine, green leaf, green cabbage, etc.
• ½ cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ red pepper, thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup green onions, chopped or 2 whole green onions, chopped
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped peanuts

Peanut Dressing

• ¼ cup peanut butter natural is best, no added oils or sugars!
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp water more to thin the dressing if desired
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp honey
• dash of salt and pepper

Instructions

 

• Chop and prepare all the veggies and greens into separate piles or bowls. Once chopped, equally divide the veggies in two salad bowls. Set aside.
• Make the sauce by combining all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisking until smooth. Add additional water to to thin out the dressing if desired. Sprinkle in additional coconut aminos, honey, lime, or salt and pepper as desired.
• If you prefer, mix a little of the peanut dressing into the chicken first and then add it to the salad before adding the dressing over top of the salad. If not, add the uncoated chicken to the salad and then drizzle the dressing over the bowls until evenly coated. Sprinkle with peanuts and extra cilantro if desired. Enjoy!

Keyword carrots, chicken, cilantro, coconut aminos, green onions, greens, lime, meal-prep, paleo, Peanut butter, peanuts, red cabbage, red pepper, romaine, salads, salt and pepper, sesame oil

Here is another delicious recipe to add to your winter repertoire of soups! It is savory, creamy but not too thick. It is well balanced with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. I have been experimenting with new soup recipes especially on this frigid below zero Saturday and this one was a keeper.

Some recipes I find or create are based off of my holistic doctor’s recommendations on what to eat to promote the healing of certain issues I am dealing with. Leeks were one of them this month. I honestly had never cooked with leeks before until he advised me to do so. Having guidance from my doctor on how food can be medicine is so exciting to me. I encourage you to find a functional medicine doctor near you to support you on your own health journey. Privately message me for information on mine. He is incredible.

Another reason this recipe is a win is because it is seasoned with a few of my favorite condiments and spices: Coconut aminos and turmeric! I avoid soy as much as possible and coconut aminos are great replacement for soy sauce. Conventionally grown soybeans are known to be endocrine disruptors so I absolutely recommend any women (and men!) who have hormone imbalances or who are looking to optimize their hormone levels avoid soy-based products.

Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory that is linked to many health benefits. I am currently taking a turmeric supplement, but before the supplement, I was drinking turmeric tea, making curry dishes, and enjoying golden milk lattes quite often.

The base recipe called for just mushrooms and leeks, but I added some white carrots and potatoes mainly for my carb-loving husband so he would eat the soup too. I also used homemade bone broth I had in the freezer and a shredded chicken pack from my favorite instant pot chicken breast recipe.

For the creamy addition, I used a cup of coconut milk from a carton because I wanted it to remain more brothy than creamy, but you can use either form of coconut milk! Canned will provide a more rich texture while the carton will give a more mellow, brothy consistency. You could also add some kale 10 minutes before serving for an added vegetable boost if you’d like. I topped the soup with bacon to give it that potato bacon soup feel and it was a perfect salty, satisfying finish to a soul-warming soup like this one.

I love soups, but I don’t love when soups are all vegetables and broth, or dairy/carb heavy. I either feel like I ate a bowl of roux or am hungry an hour later because there wasn’t much protein. Neither of which I enjoy feeling. This soup will definitely check all the boxes for a well-balanced lunch or dinner option.

Do you have any favorite healthy soup recipes? Let me know in the comments!

Mushroom Leek Chicken Soup

A comforting bowl of goodness for lunch or dinner.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch, Soups

Cuisine Paleo

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups leeks, chopped
• 2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup coconut aminos
• 1½ cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups chicken broth or bone broth
• ½ tsp cumin
• 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 inch piece of ginger, minced or a 1/2 tsp dried
• ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
• 2 cups shredded chicken breast
• 1 potato, diced optional, omit for Paleo
• 4 slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

Instructions

 

• Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Saute garlic for about a minute until fragrant.
• Add leeks, mushrooms, and potatoes to the pot. Saute for 3-5 minutes. Pour in coconut aminos and stir to coat.
• Add broth, coconut milk, cumin, turmeric, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir again. Let soup simmer for about 15 minutes.
• While soup is cooking, pan fry the bacon pieces in a small skillet over low-medium heat until crispy. Pour out bacon fat into a seperate container and save for future recipes!
• Stir chicken into soup and cook for an additional 5 minutes to heat through.
• When ready to serve, pour into bowls and top with bacon pieces. Add salt and pepper taste. Enjoy! Store leftover in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Keyword bone broth, carrots, chicken, coconut aminos, coconut milk, cumin, garlic, leeks, mushrooms, potatoes, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, thyme, tumeric

Okay. An easy shredded chicken recipe that is done in under 20 minutes? FROM FROZEN?! Can it get any better than that?!? Chicken is definitely my go-to protein when it come to meal prep because it is so versatile, easy to cook, and freezes wonderfully after its cooked. What’s even better about this recipe? It starts with a frozen chicken breast because we all know we ain’t got time to thaw those breasts after a long day at work.

You can use fresh chicken breast if you have it on hand, just make sure to cook it for 8 minutes rather than 13 minutes. I’d recommend chicken broth for your liquid to provide a better flavor, but water works great too. The best part of this recipe is how versatile it is. Season it will literally whatever you prefer. I did a basic salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash type seasoning blend on this batch, but feel free to throw in chopped onion, minced garlic, paprika, oregano, italian seasoning, curry powder, fajita seasoning, the options are endless! Add the seasonings after its cooked and shredded too.

How to cook the chicken:

1-2 lbs. chicken breast, 1 cup liquid, seasonings of choice, and cook. So easy. Cook on high pressure for 13-16 minutes, and a five minutes natural release. My chicken breasts were more thick than usual so I cooked them for two minutes longer than the original recipe called for. If you have thinner breasts, 13 minutes should be a perfect amount of time.

How to shred the chicken:

Here’s a trick I saw somewhere on the internet. Rather than shredding with two forks, use a hand mixer with beater attachments and pulse a few times until desired chicken is shredded to your liking. Try this super quick hack to save you even more time. Drizzle a little olive oil before seasoning with additional spices of choice before serving or freezing.

How to freeze the chicken:

I often make a big batch of this recipe, shred it with a hand mixer (pro tip!) and weigh out 1lb. portions in freezer bags to have on hand for future recipes. Soup, fajitas, stir-fry, or as a simple addition to a big bed of greens will be ready in 30 minutes or less with this quick recipe. I’d recommend thawing again in a small pot with a little extra liquid to restore the moisture. Sometimes it can turn out dry after freezing. Store the leftover chicken in the liquids for extra moist leftovers!

What are your favorite shredded chicken recipes? Drop it in the comments below!

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Quick, easy, and versatile shredded chicken to simplify your meal prep!

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 13 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, Indian, Italian, Mexican

Servings 20

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker – Ninja Foodie or Instant Pot
• Hand mixer (optional)
• 2 forks
• measuring cups

Ingredients

  

• 4 lbs. fresh or frozen chicken breast
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth or water
• 1 tbsp seasoning blend of choice
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

 

• Place chicken breast in the pressure cooker and top with broth/water, spices of choice, salt, and pepper.
• Place lid on pressure cooker and set to sealed position.
• Cook 8 minutes for fresh chicken breasts, or 13-15 minutes for frozen chicken breasts.
• Once done, allow for a 5-minute natural pressure release.
• After 5 minutes, do a quick release and make sure chicken is cooked through. Remove from instant pot and shred with a hand mixer for 15-20 seconds or pull apart with a fork.
• Season with additional salt, pepper, and spices if you prefer.
• If not serving immediately, allow to cool before freezing. Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Notes

Original recipe and other great recipes from:

https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/pressure-cooker-chicken-breast-recipe-shredded-chicken/

Keyword bowls, chicken, fajitas, freezer-meal, frozen chicken, instant pot, meal-prep, salads, soups, stir-fry

As a kid, I probably ate buttered noodles with grated parmesan cheese 6 days a week. I loved mac and cheese. This dish hearty and creamy like alfredo, loaded with garlic flavor, and most importantly: it’s good for you! This dish dish is my new version of comfort food. When squash is in season, my husband and I probably eat a spaghetti squash dish at least once a week. What can I say, it gives me my noodle fix!

First make sure to pre-bake the spaghetti squash. I like to cut in half,, scoop out the insides, rub down with olive oil, and bake inside facing up at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes, but the instant pot set on high pressure for 7-9 minutes works well too.

Once the spaghetti squash is tender, let it cool for a few minutes before scooping it out. Trust me, your hand will thank you! Saute the garlic, onion, and any other vegetables while the spaghetti squash is cooling. After this step, all that is left is combining and baking! It’s a super quick recipe which is always a plus.

This recipe includes sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms and shredded chicken but the you can customize the add-ins it to your liking. Here are a few ideas to try:

shredded chicken and broccili

For a tuscan variation: sun-dried/diced tomatoes, fresh basil, and italian sausage (this one is great!)

For a spaghetti feel: ground beef and marinara

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Bake

A hearty and healthy dinner ready in less than hour! Paleo, dairy-free, and gluten free.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean

Ingredients

  

• 1 medium spaghetti squash cooked
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 7-8 garlic cloves minced
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• ¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped. I used the dried in bag variety.If using the kind in a jar, drain from liquid before adding.
• 1½ cups spinach roughly chopped
• 1½ mushrooms chopped
• 1 lb shredded or diced chicken breast previously cooked
• 1 can coconut milk full-fat
• ¼ cup arrowroot powder
• 1-2 tsp garlic powder for extra garliciness in the sauce
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1 cup shredded parmesan optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400.° Slice spaghetti squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Rub inside the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 30-35 minutes until tender.
• While squash is baking, mince the garlic and let it rest for 10 minutes. Dice the onion and set aside with the garlic. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. Dice chicken if needed. Set all add-ins aside.
• In a small bowl combine the coconut milk, garlic powder, and arrowroot powder. Stir to dissolve and set aside.
• When spaghetti squash is done, set aside to cool for a few minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender and fragrant. Add in mushrooms and saute for a minute or two more.
• Scoop out the spaghetti squash into a large bowl. Next, add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Add the the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour coconut milk mixture over the ingredients and gently stir/fold to combine.
• Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 or deep oval baking dish and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until warm and bubbly. If not dairy free, sprinkle parmesan cheese half through baking time.
• Let it sit for a few minutes before serving and enjoy!

Notes

Original recipe adapted from:

https://realsimplegood.com/creamy-garlic-spaghetti-squash-casserole/#wprm-recipe-container-6109

Keyword arrowroot powder, chicken, coconut milk, garlic, garlic powder, olive oil, onions, salt and pepper, spaghetti squash, spinach, sun-dried tomato