Two Pioneer Woman Meals

Do you know The Pioneer Woman?  If you don't, you should get to know her here or buy her cookbook here.  I don't have the cookbook yet, but it is on my list of cookbooks to buy sometime soon.  I'm hoping to find one cheap on ebay!  You can find both of these recipes on her website. 

Tequila-Lime Chicken
Source: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
3 whole limes, juiced
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 whole jalapeno, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup tequila
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup monterey jack cheese, grated

Optional:
Pico de gallo
Refried pinto or black beans
Mexican rice
Sour cream
Avocado slices
Flour tortillas

Directions:
Combine lime juice, garlic gloves, sliced jalepenos, salt, cilantro, and tequila in a food processor or blender.  Pulse until combined.  Turn on the blender/food processor and drizzle in the olive oil until it's all combined.
Slightly flatten chicken breasts with a mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet.  Place in a plastic bag and pour in marinade.  Seal bag and marinate for several hours or (preferably) overnight.
When ready to cook, remove chicken from bag and place on the grill.  Cook until completely done.  Toward the end of cooking, top chicken breasts with grated monterey jack and allow to melt.  (You can also top chicken with cheese and melt under the broiler.)
Serve topped with pico de gallo or salsa, alongside refried black beans, mexican rice, sour cream, avocado slices, fresh flour tortillas...and whatever other garnishes make you smile.

Amy's Notes:
Have you ever made a recipe and halfway through realize you don't have what you need?  I am sure it happens to everyone at some point and it happened to me while I made this recipe.  I had my chicken marinated and ready to cook when I realized you are supposed to grill this recipe.  And sadly, we had to get rid of our grill since our apartment doesn't allow them.  It's not a huge deal, I figured, I can just cook it on the stove.  But it just wasn't the same.  Plus, I got all thrown off by the lack of grill issue and forgot to top it with cheese at the end.  It was still pretty decent, although it would have been better grilled and with cheese on top.  I will have to make it again to redeem myself. 

I put my chicken in my ziplock bag and it fell out the bottom all over the floor.  That is what happens when you buy cheap ziplock bags.  I rinsed the chicken off and put it in a different container... : )

Tequila-Lime Chicken over rice.

Chicken Spaghetti
Source: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken
3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into two inch pieces
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1 jar (4 ounce) diced pimentos, drained
2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot
1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt
1/3-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup additional grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cook 1 cup up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups.  Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente.  Do not overcook.  When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except 1 cup additional sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar.  Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly, (if the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Amy's Notes:
I didn't use a fryer chicken and used canned instead because I had it on hand.  Because I didn't cook the chicken, I didn't have the chicken broth to cook the noodles in so just cooked them in water.  I omitted the pimentos because I've never had them and am afraid to try them.  I really liked this recipe.  It was a nice change from the traditional spaghetti that gets old so quickly. 

Fresh out of the oven