Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love slow cooker recipes - throwing everything in one big pot and then forgetting about it is a wonderful thing sometimes! This soup is really flavorful without being super spicy. My kids love it, so that's a big plus! I adapted the recipe from this one which was a good starting point but tasted bland to us, and wasn't very filling.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 (32 ounce) carton chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Remove the chicken, shred or chop it, then return it to the slow cooker along with:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn
2 cups prepared (already cooked) rice

Let it continue to heat on low for 1-2 more hours, then serve with your choice of toppings (my favorite part!):

Chopped cilantro
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Tortilla chips
Chopped fresh tomatoes
Chopped green onions
Whatever you like!

Now, that's the official recipe. Since my family is picky, I actually take more time to prep the ingredients by sauteéing the vegetables (first 5 ingredients) in a touch of olive oil until they're tender, then I blitz them in the food processor/blender and add them in like that. You can turn up the heat by adding in jalapeño, and you can certainly use a mix of different peppers like orange or yellow, too. If you're going low-carb, simply omit the rice and/or corn and add in another can of beans.

Crunchy Cheddar Chicken

One night I had a package of chicken breasts in the fridge, and no idea what to do with it. Then I remembered that I had made some breaded, sauteed chicken at one point that was good, but the recipe needed tweaking. I'm so glad I decided to revisit it! It turned out moist, flavorful, and with a crunchy coating that was just perfect.

Crunchy Cheddar Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine in a shallow dish:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine in another shallow dish:
1 egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons milk

Combine in another shallow dish:
1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

4 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 400°. Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken in half cross-wise to make 4 cutlets. Dredge in flour, dip in egg mixture, then press into crumb mixture. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Place chicken cutlets in butter and saute for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Flip over and immediately place in oven for 12-14 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. (This will depend on the thickness of your cutlets. If they are quite thin, 12 minutes may be too much. Use your judgement!)

*****
Can I confess that I don't like doing dishes? I never have, and I think it's safe to say the chore won't grow on me! Any-hoo, to save dishes, I made up the flour mixture, dredged the chicken breasts, then placed the chicken back on the cutting board while I dumped out the remaining flour. I then mixed the bread crumbs and cheese in the same dish (I used a salad bowl). One less dish = happy me!

Cornbread to the Rescue!

The other day we weren't supposed to be home at dinner time, but our appointment got cancelled, leaving me with no dinner plans and a husband coming home in an hour! To make matters worse, going out was out of the question and it was Thursday - we get groceries on Friday. (I buy our food weekly, which means very little "stocked up". I had pantry staples like flour and condiments to work with.) After staring into the open fridge and pantry with the dull stare of a dairy cow, inspiration finally struck.

I took my favorite cornbread recipe and added about a cup each of cooked, shredded chicken and cheddar cheese. If I had had a jalapeño and whole kernel corn, I would totally have added that, too. Since I use bacon fat in place of some the shortening in my cornbread, the flavor was really terrific! I added the extras after mixing the batter and before the melted shortening/fat.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a couple of Honeycrisp apples in the fridge, too, so I sliced them up and served them. An odd combination, to be sure, but everyone in my family ate it up and asked for seconds. I do have to say, though, that I did have more to choose from than I normally would. Fresh fruit is almost always gone by Thursday night, I had just forgotten about those somehow. 

Halfway through dinner, a friend texted and asked if she could come over for an hour or so. Knowing she was going to pick up fast food for her own dinner, I tentatively offered her some of ours. She agreed, and then was so glad she did - she loved it!

I have to say, one of my favorite things about cooking is handling these little challenges - it's like Iron Chef, Secret Ingredient: Shredded Chicken! Allez Cuisine!

Parmesan Chicken

Sometimes my recipes come from being creative with the limited food in my fridge and pantry. Sometimes I see a recipe and think, "I can do better than that!". Sometimes I take a good recipe and challenge myself to make it better. This chicken recipe is in that third category! The original looked really good, and I intended to make it as-is, but naturally, I put my own twist on it.

I bought boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale for $1.77 per pound at Kroger on Friday. Since they were pretty big, I decided to cut them in half, making two cutlets out of each breast. I placed 4 cutlets in each quart-sized freezer bag, then poured the marinade over them. One bag went in the fridge for dinner and one bag went into the freezer for another night. When I mixed the bread crumbs and Parmesan, I used half for dinner and put the other half in a freezer bag, in the freezer to use with the other chicken. Two meals, one prep time! This recipe is for the full amount of chicken, and you can divide it like I did if you don't need 8 pieces of chicken.

Parmesan Chicken

4 large chicken breasts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, or 2 teaspoons dried herbs (I used parsley, oregano and rosemary)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup olive oil

2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs (I used whole wheat bread in the food processor)
2/3 cup grated Parmesan

In a small sauce pan, combine the herbs, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat gently on low for 3-4 minutes. You just want to get the flavors infused into the oil, you're not cooking it really. Remove from heat. Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts cross-wise into cutlets. (This works best if the chicken is partially frozen.) Place the chicken in a resealable bag and pour the marinade over it. Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for 6-8 hours, or overnight.

Remove the chicken from the fridge, and preheat the oven to 375°. In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Press both sides of each cutlet into the crumb mixture and place in a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes, flip them over, and bake for 10 more minutes until the juices run clear. Don't overbake it!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

My favorite main dish of all time would have to be Chicken Cordon Bleu. I just love the combination of flavors! Sadly, no one else in my family actually likes ham, so I don't get to have it very often. I came up with this recipe recently, though, when I needed a meal to take to a friend who was having surgery. One of these days I'll make it for my family and hope for the best!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

2 cups shredded/cubed cooked chicken
8 ounces uncooked pasta (rotini, shells, penne)
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup cubed ham
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme


1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in large bowl. Mix in chicken, soup, sour cream, ham, thyme and cheese. Salt and pepper as you like. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and butter. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and topping is lightly browned.

 This recipe is a variation of my Chicken Ranch Casserole, which is one of my most often requested recipes.

Barbecued Chicken Legs

Last Friday I was in the produce department of Kroger when a thought hit me: I hadn't decided what to make for our college people on Sunday night! After some serious brainstorming and a check in the meat department for sales, I decided on trying my hand at barbecued chicken legs. I ended up getting 15 drumsticks for about $4.50! I decided to make my own barbecue sauce with whatever I had on hand. This recipe will work for any amount of chicken, though.

Barbecued Chicken Legs

chicken legs
lemon-pepper seasoning
garlic salt

Remove the skin from the drumsticks. This is the most time consuming part of the process, and many stores sell them already skinned - especially during grilling season. Lay the legs out on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle them lightly with the two seasonings, flip 'em over and season that side, too. Roast them in the oven at 375° for 30 minutes, turn, roast 15 minutes more. During the last 15 minutes, baste them occasionally with the barbecue sauce. Serve with more sauce on the side for dipping.

Red-Eye BBQ Sauce

1 cup brewed coffee
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup apple-cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes (while chicken bakes). Store leftover sauce in the refrigerator.

Since I was feeding a crowd and we eat after the evening church service, I elected to finish these off in the slow cooker. After the roasting process, without basting them, I put the drumsticks in my slow cooker insert and poured the completed Red-Eye BBQ Sauce over them. The insert went into the fridge until the next day, when I set the slow cooker to low before going to church that evening. They heated for about 3 hours, which was perfect! Enough to heat them through, but not to cook them any further.

Chicken Meatballs with Penne

This recipe is what we had for dinner last night. We loved it! It was somehow different enough from regular spaghetti that it didn't feel like the same meal, even though it contains the same basic ingredients. It's also a departure from my usual method, in that it contains a specific type of canned tomatoes. I try to avoid ingredients like that because they can be hard to find. If you had to, I suppose you could use plain tomatoes in this, but I have really enjoyed the flavor addition of the red peppers. The fresh herbs are also a really necessary ingredient. If you grow your own, this is a pretty cheap meal! (In fact, the ground chicken I used I bought on sale for only $1.49!)

Chicken Meatballs with Penne

1 box penne pasta
1 pound ground chicken
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup assorted herbs (parsley, basil, rosemary, oregano - any combination of at least 2)
2 cans spicy red pepper diced tomatoes (Hunt's brand)

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, parsley, oregano, bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Form into bite-size meatballs. In a large skillet, brown meatballs in olive oil; add in onion and garlic. (You may need to add another tablespoon of olive oil.) Cook for 2-3 minutes. Combine the tomatoes and the remaining herbs in a blender and blend to desired consistency. Add to meatballs. Simmer, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is done, drain it and serve with the meatballs and sauce.

Slow Cooked Chicken

I don't love housework, but I do love all the "mod cons" - as our friends across the pond call modern conveniences. There's something supremely satisfying about knowing the dishwasher, washing machine and dryer are all working away in the background while I'm busy with other things. I feel the same way about my slow cooker. Knowing that dinner is ready to go with little to no further effort on my part is comforting in a way. It's one less thing to concern myself with as we finish up other chores and work on school for the day. Other than for a meal, I also like to use my slow cooker for large batches of chicken. I buy it as it's on sale, then when I get a few packages I pull them out of the freezer and cook them all at one time. I wrote about that process in this post. I'll be doing that today! I'm cooking down about $5.00 worth of chicken which will translate to about 4 meals for our family. When I have it all packaged up, the shredded chicken will go in the freezer to await its fate in one of these recipes:

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Thai Chicken Pasta

Chicken Ranch Casserole

Chicken Parmesan Calzones

Chicken Salad

Chicken Pot Pie

... Or any number of other fabulous options!

A special thanks goes out to our "college people", who blessed me with a new slow cooker last night! It's non-stick and stainless steel and programmable ... and I'm so excited! Thank you so much! We love y'all.

Sunday Night Review 10/2

Last night the menu was BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Twice-Baked Potato Casserole, and Strawberry-Limeade Punch. The chicken was just a mix of light and dark meat mixed with Spicy Honey barbecue sauce and cooked in the slow cooker for several hours.

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole 

5 lb russet potatoes 
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 
1 cup sour cream
1 green onion, chopped
1-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut into chunks. Place in a large saucepan, and add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender and easily pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain; return to pan.

Mash the potatoes in pan until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese, butter, and sour cream, and stir until combined and smooth. Add the green onion, 1 cup cheddar cheese, half the bacon, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.

Transfer to a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake until top is slightly golden and potatoes are heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; garnish with remaining bacon. Serve immediately.

Chicken Nuggets

Well, after battling a cold for a week, I'm finally feeling better today! It's nice to be "back". 

I've seen recipes on-line for fake Chick-Fil-A nuggets, and thought I'd try my hand at it. None of the recipes I looked at seemed to have just the right ingredients, though, so I ended up making up my own concoction. Basically, though these don't taste exactly like the real deal, they were very yummy and the entire family loved them and were disappointed when they were gone!

1-1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon pickle juice (for that special CFA touch, or you could use apple cider vinegar instead)
1 egg white
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Oil, for frying

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together all ingredients except chicken and oil.  The mixture will be thick and sludgy, but smooth. Stir in the chicken and let marinate for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When you're ready to start frying, preheat the oil in a large skillet to about 350° to 375°. (An inch to inch and a half of oil should be enough. You're not deep-frying.) Drop the chicken in, one piece at a time, making sure the pan is not overcrowded and the pieces do not touch each other. Fry for 3-4 minutes, then flip to the other side to fry for another 3-4 minutes, until cooked through. I did mine in two batches, so depending on the size of your skillet you'll need to do two or three batches. Drain them on paper towels, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce! Little One eats hers plain, Handsome and I love barbecue sauce, Oldest Girl prefers Ranch ... and the Boy likes a mixture of Ranch and ketchup he calls "Retchup". Nice, huh?

And if you haven't seen Tim Hawkins' touching tribute to our favorite place to "Eat Mor Chikin", you should check it out HERE.

General Tso's Chicken

Handsome and I love Chinese food. It just so happens we don't have a really good place around here to get it, which makes it a rare treat. When I recently came across a recipe for General Tso's Chicken, I knew I had to make it - it's Handsome's favorite!

While there are a few steps involved, each one is key to making the dish a success. The chicken has to be cubed and coated with marinade/batter and fried, the veggies have to be prepped and steamed, the rice cooked, the sauce whisked ... but it's all totally worth it! This was head and shoulders over any, ANY restaurant I've ever tried. Being General Tso's, it IS spicy, but that can be adjusted. And I only had to buy one special ingredient to make this recipe - the Chinese chile-garlic sauce - which was essential since that's the source of the heat.

Baked Chicken

Yesterday, I baked a chicken for dinner using a cool baking contraption my mom bought for me.

It works just like the "Soda Can Chicken" concept, only you can use whatever liquid you like in the middle. My favorite thing is fruit juice - orange or apple, or a blend of different citrus juices.

The chicken sits in it, like a special little chair.

I marinated the chicken this time (I don't always), in a blend of onion, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, pepper, and apple juice. Then you just bake the little guy (gal) for about an hour at 375°, testing with a meat thermometer to make sure it's done.

The lovely part about this is that you can use the meat for your meal, then make broth with the bones! I have a pot working right now (it smells SO good!) full of my chicken bones, carrots, onion, and S&P. After simmering it for a couple of hours, I'll strain everything out, then let the broth sit in the fridge overnight. In the morning I'll skim off the fat and store the broth in the freezer.

Bonus: I only paid about $3.50 for this chicken and it will provide two meals, plus the broth for another one or two meals.

Sunday Night Review

Last night I made one of my family's favorites for dinner. It's really easy to throw together, and is pretty cheap, too. The recipe makes a full 9 x 13 dish and I fed 10 with it - even have a bit leftover for lunch today! I also made my standard focaccia recipe. All in all, a hearty cheap meal that everyone likes!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

1-26 ounce jar pasta sauce (I use my homemade stuff)
1-16 ounce box pasta (rotini, penne, shell, etc.)
3 cups cubed/shredded cooked chicken
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Stir in pasta sauce, chicken and mozzarella. Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together bread crumbs, Parmesan and butter. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, until heated through and topping begins to brown.

Recipe Contest

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably know that I love the Taste of Home "family" of magazines. They publish Taste of Home and Simple & Delicious, among others. I've been a subscriber to one or more of the magazines for a good 12 years. Well, a couple of years ago, their website had a couple of contests available for entry and I decided to go for it. I got an e-mail a few months later from an associate editor saying that I had won third place in one of the contests!

"Congratulations! You came in 3rd in our  "Easy, Healthy Suppers " Contest! My name is J--- M------ and I'm an editor here at Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking, and I want to congratulate you on taking third place! Your recipe was Thai Chicken Pasta. Your winnings include a check for $200, and we'd like to feature you and your recipe in the December 2009 issue of Healthy Cooking. (You'll receive a free copy of this issue, too.)"

Yay! He asked me to send a picture (Jeff told me immediately which one that would be) and some background information about the recipe. 

My check, the cover letter for my complimentary copy of the magazine, and the actual magazine!

Here's the link to the recipe on Taste of Home's website: Thai Chicken Pasta

Slow Cooker Nachos

My friend Chrissy posted this recipe on her Facebook page recently, crediting it to our friend Tammy, who credited it to our friend Bonnie, and I have no idea where Bonnie got it! But, when a recipe gets passed around like that so much it HAS to be good! I thought it sounded perfect for the college and singles crew that Handsome and I host on Sunday nights. I'm giving you the recipe as I received it, but I used a whole package of chicken (about 1.7 pounds), 2 cans of beans, and a larger jar of salsa to feed our crowd. My version fed about ten people, so I guess this recipe will feed 4-6.

Slow Cooker Nachos

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 (16 oz) jar salsa
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheddar, sour cream, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, black olives, sliced jalapenos, etc.

Place the chicken, corn, beans and salsa in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken and add in cream cheese. Allow time to melt, stirring to combine. Serve over tortilla chips and top with your favorite nacho additions.

Fried Chicken Fingers

Handsome loves fried chicken! I could make it once a week and he'd never get tired of it. This recipe is basically how his mom always fries it, though I added in the seasoning. It's a very simple recipe, and it makes fabulous chicken. The leftovers are even good cold, straight out of the fridge!

Fried Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups self-rising flour
2 teaspoons salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning
Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips. Marinate in buttermilk for 30 minutes or until you're ready to use it (up to 6 hours). Heat the oil about 2 inches deep in a large skillet until a tiny pinch of flour sizzles when you sprinkle it in. Combine flour and seasoning in a shallow dish. Working a piece at a time, remove chicken from buttermilk and dredge in the flour mixture. Place carefully in hot oil. Fry for 4-5 minutes until golden brown, then flip to second side. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Chicken Ranch Casserole

This casserole is simple to throw together, particularly if you keep cooked chicken in your freezer like I do.  I use my White Sauce recipe (in a 2-2-2 ratio) in place of the cream soup sometimes, and if the mixture doesn't seem moist enough you can stir in a 1/2 cup of chicken broth or milk to help with that. This is truly one of those recipes that pretty much everyone loves and it's so easy!

Chicken Ranch Casserole
2 cups shredded/cubed cooked chicken
8 ounces uncooked pasta (rotini, shells, penne)
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces sour cream
1 envelope dry Ranch dressing mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and place in large bowl. Mix in chicken, soup, sour cream, dressing mix, and 1 cup cheese. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted.

This recipe is easy to double so you can feed more people, or to have an extra casserole in the freezer for another time. If you seasoned your chicken when it was cooked and salted the water for your pasta, you probably won't need to add anything else to this casserole. Otherwise, you might want to salt and pepper while mixing everything together.

Just a quick post today, with a couple of links. We're having guests for dinner tonight and I'm serving my chicken pot pie. It's a good choice for company with kids, since it's pretty unoffensive for picky eaters. I'm also making butternut squash yeast rolls. Those things are seriously yummy!

Chicken Parmesan

When Handsome and I go out to dinner, it’s always the same question: "Where do you want to eat?"  If I win out, it’s Italian all the way! And my sweetie labors studiously over the menu, as if he’s actually pondering what he might order. Which he’s not. As long as they have Chicken Parmesan available, that’s what he’s going for.  But considering how simple of a dish it really is, I can make a mean Chicken Parmesan at home. Unfortunately, no one gives me $14.95 plus tip for it.

Chicken Parmesan

1 jar of your favorite tomato pasta sauce (here’s my homemade version)

1 box angel hair pasta

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten with a splash of water

 

In a food processor, blend the following 6 ingredients:

3 slices bread

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

So, the first thing you need to do is preheat a large skillet drizzled with olive oil. Start your pasta water boiling and your pasta sauce heating, too.  Then take each chicken breast and slice it horizontally in half, making two flat pieces out of one breast.  (It’s easier to do this if the chicken is slightly frozen.) Lightly salt and pepper the chicken, then dredge it in the flour. Dunk the floured chicken in the eggs, then in the bread crumb mixture.  Saute the chicken slices for about five minutes per side, or until done clear through.  Turn off heat. Top each chicken slice with a spoonful of sauce and about a ¼ cup of mozzarella. Put a lid on the skillet for 2-3 minutes until mozzarella is melted. While the chicken cooks,  prepare your pasta (angel hair will only take 2-4 minutes). While waiting for the cheese to melt, plate the pasta, topping with a spoonful of sauce. Top each plate of pasta with chicken and sprinkle with more Parmesan.  Yields: 6 servings

Pretzel-Crusted Chicken

I experimented tonight with a chicken dish that turned out really well. We had a bachelor friend over and I knew we'd need to have plenty! Here's what I did:

2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey mustard (dijon would be fine, too)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
24 pretzel twists, crushed

Combine first six ingredients in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. If butter isn't melted, microwave again at 10-second intervals until melted and ingredients combine well. Place the chicken in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Brush the glaze over both sides of chicken. Sprinkle with the crushed pretzels. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Tonight, I served it with mashed potatoes, Buttery Corn Casserole, and Green Beans with Pecans.