The Blonde Diaries

Cheesy Chicken Recipes

Winter in Houston typically means temperatures that reach oh 50 or 60 degrees - brrr when you are use to 90+ degree weather!  Eventhough I do not willingly look forward to this time of year, it does encourage me to bring back some of my most favorite recipes: creamy soups, warm casseroles, potatoes.  

So today, I was looking through files on my computer today and I ran across 3 of my favorite recipes. I tend to copy and paste recipes I run across or personal recipes that I share on message boards in Word documents to save for later.  These 3 recipes tend to overlap in main ingredients which works well if you catch chicken on sale and need to make multiple dishes. 

Chicken Roll Ups 

I don’t know the origins of this recipe.  I just remember going off to college and all the sudden my mother and grandmother started making it and sending it to the dorms with me each month when I would come home and load up.  This is also one of those great recipes that you can add in or change up the veggies included to change the taste and get some added nutrition.

1.  3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (if they are big just do 2) - cook and chop up into shreds/small chunks.  I tend to boil for 30-45 minutes until cooked then I’ll shred with forks.

2. combine chicken with 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese (fat free if you are watching your figure).  I also add in about a cup of broccoli (just microwave the frozen kind and then cut into small chunks) and carrots.

3. Then you will need 2 cans of cresant rolls (I get the pillsbury kind)  Roll out the dough and seal the seems of 2 of the cressants to form one big square. 

4. Place the chicken mixture into the big squares and then roll up and seal the sides and the one long seam. You should make 6-8 rolls.

5.  Then place in a casserole dish.  Next pour a mixture of 1 can cream of chicken soup and 1 cup of milk over the rolls to make a sauce and then sprinkle 1/4 cup cheddar cheese on top. Cook on 375 for 20 minutes.

Chicken Spaghetti

This recipe originated from my great great aunt and was passed down through my grandmother and mother to me.  It is my absolute favorite cheesy chicken recipe and I look for any excuse to make it.  Its fairly straight forward and easy to make.

1.  Boil chicken (2-3 breasts) in water with a couple of bay leaves thrown in.

2. Once done with chicken saute 1 onion chopped in 1 stick of butter (you can cut this in half if you want). 

3. Once they are “cooked” add 1 can of tomato soup, 1 can diced rotel, 1 pound velveta cheese until melted. *Tip* Cut the Velveeta into small inch or half inch chuncks and add in slowly with the rotel and tomato soup so that it will melt smoothly and will not  burn. Then shred the chicken into small pieces (use 2 forks) and put in the cheesy mix. 

4. Cook 1 package of spagetti (vermacelli works best) in the chicken broth.  Drain when noodles are done.  Add noodles to the cheesy mix and bake in the oven on 350 until it bubbles (usually 10-15 minutes).  Then take out and enjoy.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Biscuit Cups      

Lastly is one of Mike’s favorite recipes.  I discovered it from Dottie’s Weight Watchers Message Board and gave it a whirl one night.

1 (7.5 oz.) can of refrigerated homestyle or buttermilk biscuits
1 cup (5 oz.) diced chicken breast
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can healthy request cream of chicken soup
scant 2/3 cup (2 1/2 oz) shredded kraft reduced-fat cheddar cheese (I used the Kraft fat free kind and worked fine.)
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (I did not have this so I used oregano and basil seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Separate biscuits (in halves) and place each biscuit in a cup of an ungreased 12-hole muffin pan, pressing dough up sides to edge of cup. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, chicken soup, cheddar cheese, parsley flakes, and black pepper. Mix well to combine. Evenly spoon chicken mixture into prepared biscuit cups. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Place muffin pan on a wire rack and let set for 2-3 minutes. Serve at once.  This recipe for those on WW is 5 points per serving with 1 serving = 2 biscuit cups.