Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken

Wanted something quick to make with chicken thighs looked around several recipes and came up with this.

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion rough chipped
  • 3 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + 1 tsp of the adobo sauce from the can
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 bay leaf 
  • 1 tsp chicken bullion
  • 1 cup water
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs (fat trimmed)

Directions

Add all ingredients into Instant Pot. Add chicken and mix around and submerge chicken in liquid as much as possible. Cook on high pressure for 10 mins. Let pressure naturally release. Chop and add on top of rice with salsa. Enjoy

Lechoen Manok Chicken Wings

These are Filipino chicken wings. Lechoen Manok is usually done for a whole roasted chicken but I came up with my own spin for Chicken wings. I cooked them in an air fryer, but you could bake them in the oven or grill them also.

Ingredients

  • 12 chicken wings
  • 1 Cup of Regular Sprite (NOT Diet)
  • 5 cloves of garlic smashed
  • 4 Tablespoons of brown sugar
  • 4 green onions chopped or 1/2 yellow onion diced
  • Juice from 1/2 regular sized lemon
  • 1″ piece of ginger sliced across the grain
  • 6 tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of course ground black pepper

Directions

Put chicken wings into a ziploc bag. Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl and add to ziploc bag with chicken wings and let marinade for at least 4 hours. Remove wings from marinade and pat dry.

For Air Fryer: Put into Air Fryer and set temp for 390 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for about 20 mins (optionally basting w/marinade after 10 mins for extra flavor) or until they are as crispy and tender as you like.

For Oven: Put into oven on a rimmed cookie sheet with a cooling rack on it to put the wings on. Put the cookie sheet with the wings on the rack in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 20 mins, then drain the oil from the cookie sheet and put the wings on the rack back on the cookie sheet and put back in the oven with the temp at 350 degrees for 10 mins after basting with marinade or until they are done to your liking.

For Grill: Grill Chicken wings as you would any piece of chicken, but remember since they are small they will be done sooner. Also you may see the drums take longer than the flats because there is more bone in them.

Mexican Chicken Pasta

This is a delicious, quick and easy meal to make for a weekday meal when you are busy and don’t have a lot of time to spend cooking.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1lb chicken breast, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 lb. any type of pasta
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, for garnish

Directions

  • Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium high. Add the chicken and sauté until browned all over, 5 minutes
  • Toss in the chili powder, cumin, garlic salt and red pepper. Sauté another minute. Add the red bell pepper, cream of mushroom soup and milk and stir to combine.
  • Transfer to an oven-safe baking dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Cover and slide into a 350°F oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 more minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbly

Healthier Chicken Enchilada Soup (Crock Pot/Instant Pot)

Ingredients

  • 1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce (low sodium if desired)
  • 2 tbsp of Chili powder (I used 1 tbsp of New mexico chili, and 1 1bsp of generic chili powder)
  • 1 tbsp of Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp of cumin
  • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
  • 1 tbsp olive oil to saute chicken
  • 1 diced red bell pepper
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 1 can of black beans (rinsed)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Siracha sauce
  • 1 can of sweet corn (optional)
  • 1 lb of chicken tenders
  • 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup of whole milk (or heavy cream for creamier soup)
  • Toppings
    • Crispy tortilla strips
    • Cilantro minced
    • Avocado diced
    • Extra shredded cheese
    • Extra sour cream

I reduced some of the sodium by not adding extra salt and used chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin rather than canned enchilada sauce. Choosing low sodium tomato sauce. You could further reduce it by using frozen corn and low sodium bouillon.

Directions

Set Instant Pot to saute and put oil, chicken, onion, and pepper. Saute for few mins. Now add rest of ingredients but sour cream, cheddar cheese, and milk to crock pot or instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 25 mins. Quick release stir in sour cream, cheddar cheese, and milk. If using a crock pot skip the saute step and cook for about 4 hours on high or 6-8 on low.

Filipino Chicken Lugaw (Instant Pot compatible Recipe)

Ingredients

  • 10 cups of water
  • 1 cup medium-grain white rice
  • 1 ½ tablespoons concentrated chicken base or 4 bouillon cubes
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 eight-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, very thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1/2 large onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • Toppings:
    • 1 scallion, finely chopped for garnish
    • 2 to 3 round slices lemon, each cut in half to squeeze on top when serving
    • Minced Garlic fried to golden brown for topping
    • Hardboiled Eggs sliced for topping

Directions

If using Instant pot, add ingredients to instant pot. Cook on porridge setting. if not using instant pot cook in covered stock pot on stove for 1 hour. Serve with lemon squeezed over and crispy fried garlic sprinkled on top. Add additional toppings as desired.

Thai Red Curry Chicken

This is a really easy to make and fresh tasting Thai dish. The lime juice brings a freshness to the dish and the brown sugar balances out the lime’s acidity. It took me about 30 mins of prep work and about 10 mins of cook time.

Ingredients

  • 2 – 3 Tbsp of red curry paste
  • 2 Tbsp of canola oil
  • 1 Tbsp of brown sugar
  • 1 tsp of minced ginger
  • 1 cup of green beans (I used frozen)
  • 1 small onion sliced into thin strips
  • 1 small red bell pepper or 1/2 of a large one cut into strips
  • 1.5 lbs of chicken cut into 1/4″ strips pieces
  • Juice from 1/2 of a lime
  • Cilantro and Green Onion chopped fine for topping when serving
  • 1 14 oz can of coconut milk

Directions

Heat pan on high then add canola oil, then add in curry paste and fry for about 30 seconds to wake up the flavor, then add in coconut milk and stir until curry paste is blended in. Add brown sugar and ginger stir till mixed. Add in the vegetables and cook till almost tender. Add chicken in and cook until the chicken is no longer pink. This should be quick since it is sliced thinly. Serve over rich and top with cilantro and green onion.

Thai Basil Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs of boneless skinless chicken Breast Chopped into bite size pieces
  • 3 Thai chilies chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons of Oyster sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons of Canola Oil
  • 1 cup of Thai Basil leaves chopped into small slivers
  • 2 green onions sliced finely
  • 2 Teaspoons of fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of brown sugar

Directions

Add garlic and peppers into a mortor and pestle and crush together then put into a bowl and mix in oyster sauce, soy sauce, white and brown sugar, and fish sauce till combined. Add oil into a hot pan and then add the chicken. Stir till it starts to brown and then add in a tablespoon of the mixture from the bowl. Keep stirring till it starts to caramelize. Add in the rest of the sauce and stir till pan deglazed and a coating forms on the chicken. Add basil and green onions to the pan and stir till mixed, then remove from heat immediately and serve with rice.

Note: The first time I made this, the sauce looked very thick and I added 2 tablespoons of water to thin a little. This was a mistake, the sauce has to be thick to coat the chicken. If it doesn’t cote the chicken the sauce along with most of the flavor will be all at the bottom of the pan.

Instant Pot Chicken Shawarma Wraps

These were really good a pretty easy to make. The Instant pot made it very tender and quick.

Ingredients Chicken Shawarma (4 servings)
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 0.13 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 0.25 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 large onion sliced
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs boneless and skinless
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley for garnish
  • 0.5 tbsp olive oil
  • Flour Tortillas for wrapping

Toppings

  • Chopped Onion
  • Chopped tomato
  • Chopped Cilantro
  • lettuce
  • Hummus

Directions:

Put Chicken Shawarma ingredients (Except tortillas) into a zip lock bag, mix up, then marinade in fridge at least an hour. Add into Instant pot and set for 8 minutes on high pressure. Let cycle finish and pressure naturally release. Remove from Instant pot and put into a frying pan along with a little of the sauce in the instant pot (The more you use the more flavor however it will take longer for it to reduce) then cook until liquid gone and chicken browned. Put in a warmed tortilla with the desired toppings serve and enjoy.

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese

This is a great tasting and filing comfort food. This will make enough to feed a crowd and they will love it. (Serves 10 – 12)

Ingredients

  • 1 16oz box of elbow macaroni
  • 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts diced into 1/2″ cubes
  • 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
  • 2 cups of shredded or cubed Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 cup of shredded or cubed Pepper Jack cheese
  • 3 cups of Half and Half cream
  • 1 cup of 2% milk
  • 2 tablespoons of Chicken Bouillon powder
  • 3 cloves of Garlic
  • 2 Chipotle peppers (from can in adobo sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons of Corn Starch
  • 2 tablespoons of water
  • 1 tablespoon of Onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon of ground White Pepper (black can be used also)
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of Red Pepper flakes (optional if you like it a little spicier)
  • 1/2 cup shredded Medium Cheddar cheese for topping (optional)

Directions

Cook macaroni and set aside. Fry chicken in olive oil till cooked through with 1/2 teaspoon of salt sprinkled over and set aside. Add 1 cup of the half and half cream, the chipotle peppers, and the garlic cloves to a food processor or blender and process till chipotle is blended. Add this to pan on medium high heat along with remaining 2 cups of half and half and the 1 cup of 2% milk. Mix the cornstarch with the water and add to the pan then add in the pepper, salt, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Heat till it boils stirring constantly, then turn heat to low and gradually add in the Monterey and Pepper Jack cheeses gradually, continuing to stir until it is integrated. Now add in the chicken, continuing to stir, then add in the macaroni and stir till mixed. You can serve it like this or put it in a 9×13 baking pan, sprinkle with the shredded cheddar and put under the broiler to melt it and slightly brown the top of the mac and cheese.

Spicy Green Chili Chicken Soup

The weather is rainy and a little cooler, so I wanted to make something warm,  comforting, spicy, and with great flavor. Here is what I came up with:

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken Breast
  • 32 oz of chicken broth
  • 1 – 4 oz can of hot green chilis (I used hatch brand)
  • 2 tablespoons of flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
  • 4 cloves of garlic (these were medium to small size)
  • 3 tablespoons of cream cheese
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder (I used New Mexico Hot, others can be used)
  • Optional: Finely diced Jalapeno
  • Salt (if needed, taste at end to determine)
  • Optional: Chopped green onion for topping

Directions

Cook chicken in a covered bowl in the microwave for about 10 – 15 minutes on 40% power till done, but not overcooked. Let cool, then cut across the grain into 1 inch pieces and roughly shred, set aside. Now in a large saucepan on high heat, add butter and garlic. Saute for 1 minute then add flour and make a roux (stir together) let cook for about 2 – 3 minutes, then add the chicken broth slowly while stirring to eliminate lumps. Now add in the chicken along with the rest of the ingredients and let cook for 20-30 minutes stirring till cream cheese is dissolved and chicken is as soft as desired. If you like it spicier, you can added add some jalapeno if you want it spicier. Taste and end and add salt if needed. Top with green onions and serve.