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Copycat Chick-fil-a Chicken

April 2, 2013 by

If you have never had Chick-fil-A Chicken, then I have to say, you are missing out! It is definitely my favorite fast food chicken. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) where we live now is 30 minutes from the closest Chick-fil-A. We are about 30 minutes from everything, but that’s a different story!  I started seeing copycat recipes floating all around Pinterest, and it peaked my curiosity.  Could it possible to make this awesome chicken at home?!  I had to give it a shot, especially since my last restaurant copycat recipe turned out so well! I adapted this recipe from Food.com.

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Copycat Chick-fil-a Chicken

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken tenders
  • 1 cup dill pickle juice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • Oil for frying (Chick-fil-a uses peanut oil, I used canola)

Instructions

  1. Place chicken in a plastic bag or covered dish with pickle juice.
  2. Marinate for at least an hour (but preferably overnight)
  3. Beat eggs in a bowl large enough to dip the chicken into.
  4. Mix flour, sugar, and all of the spices in another shallow bowl or plate
  5. Remove chicken from the pickle juice and drain well. (dispose of pickle juice)
  6. Dip the chicken into the egg wash and then into the flour mixture, completely covering chicken.
  7. Fry the chicken using your preferred method. (I used a Fry Daddy, and cooked my chicken in batches.)
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Verdict?  This was really good! Of course, I’m a Southern gal that grew up eating fried chicken, and I still love it.  I rarely eat it anymore, but it’s good stuff.  But how did it compare to CFA?  Well, it was close…but not exact.  However, I also did not use peanut oil, and I’ve been told that yields the best flavor for chicken.  Even though it wasn’t an exact match, my family loved this recipe so that makes it a keeper in my book!  I want to make this again, but a baked version.  I know that won’t taste like Chick-fil-a!
What about you?  Do you have any restaurant copycat recipes that have turned out well?
Here are some others you can check out if interested: Goat Cheese Biscuits (these look amazing! Copycat from Table Fifty Two), Bowtie Festival (a copycat version of Johnny Carino’s Bowtie Festival), and Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana (a lighter version).  Who needs restaurants?! (Okay, I do…who wants to cook ALL the time!)
KimM is a contributing writer for Eat at Home. See more from her at her blog Makin’ it Mo’Betta, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!

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Slow Cooker Creamy Jalapeño Chicken Tacos

March 26, 2013 by

These were such a hit!  They have just enough spice to make them interesting without being too spicy.  The sweetness of the corn balances the spice.  And they’ve got cream cheese.  What more can you ask for?

Bonus – they cook in the slow cooker!

Recently, I was asked to try out the new Philadelphia Spicy Jalapeño Cream Cheese as part of Kraft Foods and PHILADELPHIA Spicy Jalapeno blogger program.  Cream Cheese is one of my favorite ingredients and I knew we would love this one.  We did!  The jalapeño and cream cheese are a perfect pair of contrasting flavors.

Here’s what you’ll need for the Creamy Jalapeño Chicken Tacos:   [Read more...]

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10 Ways to Cook Ground Beef – No Recipe Required

March 13, 2013 by

It’s been a while since I’ve added a post to this series.  In the past, we’ve covered:

Sometimes, you just don’t feel like dragging out a cookbook or even looking something up on the computer.  For those days, try one of these easy ideas.

I love to have ground beef browned out and stored in the freezer.  It makes it really easy to pull together a meal.  If you’d like to cook it in bulk, try using your crockpot to cook ground beef.

1. Hamburgers

There are a million ways to top a burger.  And you can choose to cook them on the outdoor grill, a George Foreman type grill or in a skillet.  Easy and classic.

2.  Tacos

Season the cooked ground beef with your favorite homemade or store-bought seasoning.  Stuff in your favorite shells.  Top with your favorite toppings.  Chances are, this meal is a staple in your house.

3.  Add to Spaghetti Sauce

This is a quick way to beef up your favorite spaghetti sauce.

4.  Meatloaf

Another classic with a million ways to fix it.  Try this method:

  • 1 egg per pound of meat
  • 1/2 cup tomato product (ketchup, BBQ sauce, chili sauce etc) per pound
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs per pound
  • onions (and peppers and/or celery if you want), diced
  • salt and pepper

5.  BBQ Sandwiches

Stir your favorite barbecue sauce into a pound of cooked ground beef.  Serve it on buns.

6.  Quesadillas

Add cheese, tomatoes, salsa etc.  Fill soft tortillas and toast in a skillet.

7.  Gravy Topped Potatoes

Add a jar of beef gravy to one pound of browned hamburger.  Top baked potatoes for a hearty meal.

8.  Cheeseburger Baked Potatoes

Add your favorite grated cheese or Velveeta to a pound of cooked hamburger.  Top baked potatoes.  Add diced tomatoes and bacon bits too.

9.  Top a Pizza

I usually think of pepperoni or sausage for topping pizza, but ground beef is tasty too.

10.  Poor Man’s Steak

Add 1/2 cup bread or cracker crumbs, salt and pepper to a pound of raw hamburger.  Pat into patties and fry in skillet.  Pour 1 can cream of mushroom soup mixed with 1/3 can of water over the patties.  Heat and serve.

What’s your favorite way to use ground beef?

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Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

March 12, 2013 by

This easy slow cooker Chicken Cacciatore is a crowd pleaser!  I created it on a Sunday morning.  It cooked while we were at church and was ready to eat when we got home.

I fully intended to show you a photo of the finished deal.  I took several, but they didn’t turn out at all.  I guess we were so hungry that I snapped too quickly.

This dish is full of chicken, bell peppers and onions in homemade tomato sauce.  Red wine brings more flavor to the sauce, but you can leave this out if you need to.  Serve the chicken and sauce over hot pasta.  I used bow tie pasta, but you can use any shape you like.

Here’s what you’ll need to make Chicken Cacciatore:   [Read more...]

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‘Detox’ Salad full of Dark Green Leafy Veggies

March 8, 2013 by

Ever feel like your body just needs a ‘detox’? All the over-indulgence of the holidays (because they just seem to keep coming!), and you feel like your body is craving something healthy and nutritious? I know this happens to me frequently. Of course, I admit, I splurge a little to often!

This salad (which from what I have gathered, originated from Whole Foods, but I adapted this recipe) is not only super healthy, it is super delicious!

If you were to hand me a bunch of broccoli, cauliflower and kale on a plate, I would say “no, thank you” – but somehow, when they are all chopped up together with a little fruit and seeds and a very light dressing – it transforms them into a bowl full of goodness.  A bowl of this salad also packs quite a nutritional punch, giving you a good dose of super foods!

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‘Detox’ Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 broccoli crowns
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2-3 carrots
  • 1 small bunch kale (stems removed)
  • 1/2 cup parsley
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
  • 1 cup dried berries (cherries, cranberries, blueberries)
  • ½ cup raisins
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or other mild flavored vinegar)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • Salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into florets.
  2. Cut the carrots into large chunks.
  3. Roughly chop the kale.
  4. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the broccoli, cauliflower, kale and parsley until fine and add them to a large mixing bowl. (It will probably take more than one batch)
  5. Process the carrots and add to the bowl.
  6. Stir to combine.
  7. Add the sunflower seeds, almonds, and dried fruit.
  8. Stir to combine.
  9. Add lemon juice, vinegar and syrup.
  10. Toss to coat.
  11. Taste, and add salt and/or pepper as needed.
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Warning, this recipe does make a HUGE bowl of salad, but it keeps in the refrigerator for several days.  With all the “bugs” floating around right now, I am happy to have a little immunity boosting salad in my fridge!  If I could just get my kids to eat it….

KimM is a contributing writer for Eat at Home. See more from her at her blog Makin’ it Mo’Betta, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter! 

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Filed under: gardening, Main Dish, salad, Vegetable, vegetarian Tagged with , , , , , 11 Comments

Tex Mex Shepherd’s Pie – Quick Weeknight Dinner

March 7, 2013 by

If you’ve got ground beef already cooked and frozen (one of my favorite quick-cooking tricks), this meal is a cinch to put together.

Hamburger, black beans and chili-ready diced tomatoes form the base layer.  All of that gets topped with Monterey Jack Cheese.  And covering it all is a generous helping of mashed potatoes.

I used plain instant potatoes, but one of the cheesy or garlic varieties would be tasty too.

Here’s what you’ll need:   [Read more...]

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Easy Chicken Barley Soup

February 28, 2013 by

This Chicken Barley Soup is pure comfort soup in a bowl. Made with ingredients you most likely have on hand, it comes together quickly on a cold winter’s night.

Since this quick and healthy recipe makes about 8 servings, I love to make it at the beginning of the week so I can have leftovers to put in thermoses for lunches.

Why barley instead of noodles? Barley is much higher in fiber, which means your family will stay fuller longer. I’m pretty sure there is nothing worse than preparing a meal for my family, only to have them hit me up for a snack an hour later. If I’ve gone through the effort of preparing a meal – I want it to satisfy!

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Chicken Barley Soup

Chicken Barley Soup

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 16 oz package frozen vegetables
  • 3/4 cup barley

Instructions

  1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in barley. Cover, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook an additional 45 minutes, or until barley is cooked. Serve immediately.
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Andrea has been married to Peter for 20 years, and together they have two teenage daughters. You can also find her at The Greenbacks Gal where she finds organic deals, green steals and cooks real food meals.

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Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole

February 26, 2013 by

I actually didn’t make this casserole for breakfast, but for brunch after church.  It’s a perfect after church meal, because it’s easy to throw together while you’re trying to rush everyone out of the house.  And the cook time is perfect to have it ready when you get back.

I used potatoes with onions and peppers in them to add plenty of flavor without adding a chopping step.  This one is really just “assembly only”.  Important when you’re trying not to be the last family to slip into the sanctuary.

Here’s what you’ll need:   [Read more...]

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Healthier Skillet Chicken Parmesan and a chance to win $50,000 Kitchen Makeover

February 22, 2013 by

This is our favorite meal that I’ve created recently.  It’s easy.  It’s delicious.  It’s pasta!

And it uses Campbell’s Heart Smart Prego sauce.  Yum!

I’m not always the best at checking sodium levels and other nutrition facts to guard our heart health, so I like products that make it easy.  The Prego Heart Smart Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic sauce is a winner.

This dish tastes fantastic.  Paired with a big, fresh salad, it makes a great heart healthy dinner.

Here’s what you’ll need for the recipe, but keep reading past the recipe to find out how you can enter to win a $50,000 kitchen makeover! [Read more...]

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Quick Ham and Pineapple over Couscous

February 21, 2013 by

You know I love a 15 minute meal.  This one may come in at even less time than that.

I’ve had the idea for this for a while, but I wasn’t confident about how the flavors would taste together.  But it was great!  Especially considering the super quick prep time.

This dish does have jalepeno, but if you’re careful to remove the seeds, they aren’t spicy.  It gives a nice addition to the flavors.

Here’s what you’ll need:   [Read more...]

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