Mexican Chicken Pizza with Cornmeal Crust

Adapted from Eat Better America 2012 calendar.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. regular active dry yeast
1/4 tsp. coarse salt (kosher or sea)
3/4 cup warm water
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
Additional cornmeal

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder (regular or Mexican varieties are good, too)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
1-2 sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, diced
Sour cream

Heat oven to 450F.  In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Stir in warm water and oil.  Beat with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.  Beat on high speed for 1 minute.  Stir in 1/3 cup cornmeal and remaining flour to make a soft dough.

On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.  Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix chicken with cumin, paprika, chile powder, oregano, and the juice from the tomatoes.

Spray a large cookie sheet with nonstick spray; sprinkle with additional cornmeal.  On cookie sheet, press dough into 10x14" rectangle; prick with fork.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges just begin to turn brown.

Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese blend.  Top with chicken, tomatoes, bell pepper, and green onions.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake 6-8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown.  Top with cilantro, sour cream, and avocados.

Southwest Rub

Good for red meat, pork, poultry, seafood, and vegetables.

Adapted from Weber's On the Grill.

Yield: about 1/4 cup

2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. granulated garlic or 1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Makeover Taco Soup

Yield: 7 cups

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 medium red onion, diced
8 oz. no-salt added-tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 1/2 oz) can no-salt-added or low-sodium whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (15 1/2 oz) can no-salt-added or low-sodium kidney beans, undrained
3 1/2 Tbs. Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
1-2 cups water

Garnishes:
Shredded cheese
Fritos
Light or fat free sour cream OR plain, fat-free Greek yogurt

Brown turkey and onion; drain.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, corn, beans, taco seasoning, and water.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts:
1 cup (no garnishes) = 225 calories, 5.32 g fat (1.2 g saturated fat), 37 mg cholesterol, 304 mg sodium, 25.2 g carbohydrates, 7.3 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar, 19 g protein

Notes:
- The nutrition facts listed use no-salt-added corn and reduced sodium kidney beans.  Amounts will actually vary by brand.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

Adapted from Healthy Cooking (April/May 2010), page 46.

Yield: about 1 cup

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chili powder
3 Tbs. dried minced onion
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground coriander

Combine all ingredients.  Use in place of packaged taco seasoning.  Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.

To prepare taco meat:
Cook ground meat (beef, turkey, etc.) over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Add 1/4 cup taco seasoning mix and 3/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Nutrition Facts:
1 Tbs. dry mix = 14 calories, 0.07 g fat (0.01 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 191.5 mg sodium, 2.5 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g dietary fiber, 0.4 g sugar, 0.3 g protein

Notes:
- The original recipe called for 2 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper.  Do what you want, but I thought it turned out great the way I made it!  It was just spicy enough for my taste, but if you like things a little milder consider cutting the cayenne to 1/2 or 3/4 tsp.
- You will save money and cut out a CRAZY amount of sodium from your diet if you use this recipe instead of the stuff you buy at the store.  I compared this to my bottle of Tone's taco seasoning; 2 tsp. (yes, 2 tsp.) of the Tone's contains 470 mg sodium!

Santa Fe Chicken Pita Pizzas

From Healthy Cooking (April/May 2009), page 65.

Prep: 10 min. / Cook: 8-10 min.
Yield: 4 servings

4 whole wheat pita breads
1/2 cup refried black beans
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
2 Tbs. chopped green chilies
2 Tbs. sliced ripe olives
3/4 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Place pita breads on foil-lined baking sheet; spread with beans.  Top with salsa, chicken, chilies, olives, and cheese.

Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Top with sour cream and onion.

Notes:
- I've used pita pockets as well as Greek-style pita bread, and they both taste great.  I prefer to use whole wheat.
- Refried black beans?  I've never seen anything labeled as such, so I just use refried beans.
- I have used canned chicken breast as well as Baked Slow Cooker Chicken in this recipe.
- Although I've typed the recipe as it is written, I don't measure any of the ingredients.
- Other good toppings: avocado, tomato, cilantro, corn, black beans.
- Although it's better on the pitas, I have used English muffins in their place.
- This could easily be made into a meatless entree.
- Meatless Version: Omit chicken.  Add black beans and peppers.

Chicken Fajita Salad Wraps

From the Betty Crocker 2010 calendar.

Prep: 30 min / Cook: 0 min
Yield: 8 wraps

These were super easy and quite delicious!  Perfect for a hot summer night when you don't feel like cooking--or any other night, for that matter.

Chipotle-Lime Dressing
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
1/2 Tbs. finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
Juice and zest from 1 lime

Wraps
3 cups chopped cold deli rotisserie chicken (from 2-2 1/2 lb chicken)
2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1 (11 oz) can southwestern style corn
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Flour tortillas
Salsa, if desired
Sour cream, if desired

In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients; set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together chicken, lettuce, corn, and tomato.  Add dressing and toss to coat.

To assemble each wrap, spoon 1/8 of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; top with cheese, salsa, and sour cream.  Roll up.

Notes:
- This is my modified version of the recipe; click the link under the title if you want the original.
- I used chicken from the Baked Slow Cooker Chicken recipe instead of buying a rotisserie chicken.
- Because we didn't plan to eat all 8 servings in one sitting, we decided to mix the dressing into the filling  as we ate it.  This kept it from getting all soggy.
- We ate this in freshly cooked Tortilla Land Uncooked Flour Tortillas, which we bought at Costco.  So delicious.  Regular tortillas will never be the same.
- Meatless Version: Replace chicken with black beans, kidney beans, or pinto peans.

Salmon Soft Tacos

Serves: 6-7.

I wanted salmon; Matt wanted burritos.  I think our little compromise came out pretty well.

1 lb. salmon fillets
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. Mexican style chile powder
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbs. canola oil
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper

Marinate salmon in lemon and lime juices for 5-10 minutes at room temperature.

Mix together dry ingredients.  Rub over both sides of salmon.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook salmon 5-6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until cooked (fish will flake easily).

Pull salmon into chunks using a fork.

Serve in tortillas with your favorite toppings.

Topping suggestions:
Brown or Mexican-style rice
Cheese
Sour cream
Guacamole
Black beans
Corn
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Jalapeno yogurt dip (Skotidakis is a great brand)

Notes:
- If you don't have special paprika or chile powder, just use what you've got!  (Though I really do love smoked paprika.)
- Don't marinate your fish too long or it will start to "cook."
- We recently discovered the Tortilla Land uncooked tortillas at Costco.  So delicious.  Try some out (I'm sure other brands are good, too!).
- This salmon is really good in quesadillas--that's how my son likes it.  I'm sure it would also be delicious in a salad.

Taco Rice

Serves 4-6.

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 envelope taco seasoning + water (try using Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix)
Hot cooked rice

Suggested toppings:
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Salsa or hot sauce
Cheese
Nacho cheese sauce
Onions (raw or cooked with meat)
Sour cream
Black beans
Avocados
Anything else you can think of!

Brown ground meat over medium-high heat.  Drain.  Add taco seasoning and water according to package directions.

Top rice with taco meat and desired toppings.  Enjoy!

Black Bean Chicken with Rice

From Healthy Cooking (Feb./March 2010), page 58.

Prep/Total: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)
2 tsp. canola oil
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn or 1/2 can corn
1 cup salsa
2 cups cooked brown rice

Combine the chili powder, cumin, pepper, and salt; rub over chicken.  In a large nonstick skillet, brown chicken in oil on both sides.  Stir in the beans, corn, and salsa.  Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170F.

Slice chicken; serve with rice and bean mixture.

Notes:
- I'm not sure you really need to measure the rice unless you're really trying to get the nutrition facts exact.
- This came from an issue of Healthy Cooking, so it included the nutrition facts.

Nutrition Facts:
1 chicken breast half with 3/4 cup bean mixture and 1/2 cup rice = 400 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 63 mg cholesterol, 670 mg sodium, 52 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 32 g protein

Grilled Burritos / Grilled Soft Tacos

We really like Taco Bell's grilled stuffed burritos, so we decided a while ago to start grilling our own at home. Sure, ours aren't "stuffed," but they're yummy. The nice thing is you can customize them to your own liking.

Fill burrito-sized flour tortillas with any combination of the following:

Taco-seasoned meat (beef, turkey, etc.)

Black beans

Tomatoes

Mexican rice (we used Knorr brand)

Lettuce

Salsa

Sour cream

Cheese

Nacho cheese sauce

Lettuce

Fold in two opposing sides and roll up, starting on one of the other sides. Grill over medium-low to medium heat sprayed with cooking spray. Each side only takes a minute or two; just keep an eye on it.

Other good fillings I can think of:

- Guacamole

- Refried Beans

- Taco Bell sauce

- Peppers

- Corn

- Onion

- Anything else you like!

Notes:
- To make meatless, omit the taco-seasoned meat or replace with refried beans.  Cook black beans in taco seasoning and water before adding to burrito to maintain the general flavor of the dish.
- Consider using Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix to reduce the sodium!

Taco Soup

From Mom Larsen.

Serves: 4-6

1 lb. hamburger, browned and drained
1 onion, chopped and browned with hamburger
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 14½-oz. can cut-up tomatoes, undrained (Mexican style is best)
1 15½-oz. can whole-kernel corn, undrained
1 15½-oz. can kidney beans, undrained
1 package taco seasoning (try using Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix)

Garnishes:
Shredded cheese, Fritos, sour cream or fat-free Greek yogurt

Put first 7 ingredients into a large saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. You will probably want to add 1-2 cups of water for a mores soupy consistency. To serve, put soup in individual serving bowls and sprinkle with cheese and Fritos. Add a dab of sour cream.

Notes
- We recently used fire-roasted diced tomatoes (I think the brand was Dole).  So delicious!  The tomatoes were softer and added a sweeter flavor to the soup.
- Next time we make this, we're going to try it with black beans instead of kidney beans.

Mexican Lasagna

From Simple and Delicious (Sept./Oct. 2007), page 56.

Prep: 25 min. / Bake: 40 min. + standing
Yield: 10-12 servings

1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
3 cans (10 ounces each) enchilada sauce
2 eggs
1 carton (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
12 no-cook lasagna noodles
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Mexican blend cheese

In a large skillet, cook onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until tender.

Stir in chicken and enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta cheese, and cilantro.

Spread ¾ cup chicken mixture into a greased 9x13” baking dish. Layer with three noodles, 2/3 cup ricotta mixture, ¾ cup mixture chicken mixture, and 1 cup shredded cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining noodles, sauce, and shredded cheese.

Cover and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts:
1 piece (1/12 lasagna), = 396 calories, 22 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 124 mg cholesterol, 757 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 30 g protein

Turkey Tostadas

From Simple and Delicious (Sept./Oct. 2007), page 26.

Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
Yield: 6 servings

1 package (20 oz.) lean ground turkey
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 tsp. vegetable or canola oil
¾ cup water
1 envelope taco seasoning (or 3 1/2 Tbs. Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix)
1 can (15.5 oz.) hominy, rinsed and drained
12 tostada shells
3 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup cubed avocado

In a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion, and green pepper in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, taco seasoning, and hominy. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until heated through.

On each tostada shell, layer lettuce, turkey mixture, cheese, tomato, and avocado. Serve immediately.

Mexican Manicotti

From Quick Cooking (March/April 2000), page 51.

Prep: 20 min + overnight refrigeration + 30 min / Cook: 1 hour 10 min
Yield: 8 servings

1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans (two cups)
3-4 teaspoons chili powder
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 package (8 oz.) manicotti shells
2½ cups water
1 jar (16 oz.) picante sauce or salsa (two cups)
2 cups (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican-blend cheese
¼ cup sliced green onions
Sliced black olives, optional

In a bowl, combine the uncooked beef, beans, chili powder, and oregano. Spoon into uncooked manicotti shells; arrange in a greased 9x13” baking dish. Combine water and picante sauce; pour over shells. Cover and refrigerate over night.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350°F for 1 hour. Uncover; spoon sour cream over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese, onions, and olives if desired. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

Chicken Ole

From Quick Cooking (July/August 1999), page 49.

Yield: 4 servings.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 can (15 ¼ ounce) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
1 can (4 ounce) chopped green chilies
1 ½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder (may use dehydrated onion instead)
Tortilla chips or hot cooked rice
Shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink. Add corn, tomato sauce, chilies, chili powder, and onion powder; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over tortilla chips or rice and sprinkle with cheese.

Notes:
- Make it Healthier: Use no-salt-added or reduced sodium vegetables.  Use reduced fat cheese.

Nutrition Facts:
1 serving (without rice, chips, or cheese) = 274 calories, 7 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 63 mg cholesterol, 1024 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 27 g protein.

Chicken Enchiladas

From Mom Larsen.

Prep: 25 min. / Cook: 25 min.
Yield: 15-24 enchiladas

24 small or 15 large flour tortillas
2-3 cooked full boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-6 half breasts), shredded or chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated (reserve 1 cup)
2 small cans diced green chilies (mild)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pint half and half
1 cup chicken broth (or 1 cup water + 2 bouillon cubes)

Mix together chicken, onion, cheese (minus reserved cup), and chilies.  Fill flour tortillas and place in baking pans or dishes.

Mix cream of chicken soup, half and half, and broth.  Pour over enchiladas.

Sprinkle reserved cheese over enchiladas and bake, uncovered, at 350F for 25 minutes.

Notes:
- I prefer to chop the raw chicken and saute it with the onion. It helps to tone down the onion flavor.
- Sometimes I add more cheese than it calls for.
- I usually spray the baking pans with cooking spray before putting the enchiladas in them.
- These freeze well. Just take them out of the freezer about 30 minutes ahead of time and increase baking time by about 5 minutes.
- We have made these with a pepper jack/cheddar cheese mix, but we decided that using just the cheddar is best.

Picante Chicken

From Quick Cooking (July/Aug. 2001), page 31.

Prep: 5 min / Cook: 30 min.
Yield: 4 servings.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound)
1 jar (16 ounces) picante sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
Hot cooked rice, optional

Place chicken in a greased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the picante sauce, brown sugar, and mustard; pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Serve over rice if desired.

Notes:
- I'd recommend buying reduced-sodium salsa or mustard, if such a thing exists.
- Karen of the 365 Days of Slow-Cooking blog turned this into a crock pot recipe: cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.  She also recommended eating it in tortillas as tacos.

Nutrition Facts:
1 serving (minus rice) = 209 calories, 2 g fat (trace saturated fat), 66 mg cholesterol, 1009 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 26 g protein.

Salsa Chicken

From Mom Larsen.

Prep: 5-10 min. / Cook: 15-20 min.
Serves 7.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix (use Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix for lower sodium)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup apricot or peach jam

Empty taco seasoning onto a plate or into a plastic bag. Add chicken strips and toss to coat.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté 5-7 minutes or until done.

Stir in tomatoes and jam. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with rice.

Nutrition Facts:
1/2 cup sauce = 150 calories, 3.4 g fat (0.4 g saturated fat), 31.4 mg cholesterol, 538.4 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 9.5 g sugars, 14.3 g protein

Notes:
- 1 package of taco seasoning = about 3 1/2 Tbs.
- Mexican stewed tomatoes are the best for this.
- My mom chops her tomatoes up (thinner, chunkier sauce); I puree mine (thicker, smoother sauce).  Do what you want.
- Using the Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix will save you about 220 mg sodium per serving.

Pepper Jack Chicken Pasta

From Simple and Delicious (Sept./Oct. 2006), page 37.

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

3 cups uncooked mostaccioli (penne pasta works just fine)
1 small onion, chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper, chopped
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed Southwest style pepper Jack soup, undiluted
1 package (20 ounces) ready-to-use Southwestern chicken strips (Fajita-style work fine)
¾ cup water
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the onion, red pepper, and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the soup, chicken, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8 minutes.

Stir in beans; heat through. Drain pasta; add to skillet and toss with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Notes:

- If you can't find the southwest pepper jack soup, you can use Campbell's fiesta nacho cheese soup and add several handfuls of shredded pepper jack cheese to achieve a similar flavor. If you can't find either of those, use cheddar cheese soup and up the added cheese.

- Instead of ready-to-use chicken strips, I thinly slice two half breasts (Sam's Club size) and saute them in a little oil with a tablespoon or two of taco seasoning. I tend to cook the chicken, onions, and garlic together, and then add the bell pepper when the chicken is almost cooked.
- Meatless Version: Omit chicken.  Increase bell peppers and black beans, or add another type of bean.

Nutrition Facts:
1 2/3 cups = 343 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 38 mg cholesterol, 753 mg sodium, 47 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 22 g protein.

Pepper Jack Stuffed Chicken

From Quick Cooking (Nov./Dec. 2003), page 39.

Prep/Total: 45 min.
Yield: 2 servings

2 ounces pepper Jack cheese (I always guess at this)
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon Mexican or taco seasoning
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Cut cheese into two 2 ¼-inch x 1-inch x ¾-inch strips. Flatten chicken to ¼-inch thickness (or carefully cut a pocket into the side of each breast with a sharp knife). Place a strip of cheese down the center of each chicken breast half; fold chicken over cheese and secure with toothpicks. Rub Mexican seasoning over chicken.

In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil on all sides. Transfer to a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Discard toothpicks.

Notes:
- I hate pounding chicken, so I usually end up cutting a large pocket into the side.