Chick-fil-A Inspired Chicken Nuggets {with Sweet & Sour Sauce}

I love Chick-fil-A. LOVE. While browsing Pinterest (a new obsession) I found a copycat recipe. It is the closest recipe to Chick-fil-A's chicken that I have found. I think the secret is the powdered sugar and double dipping method. I doubled the recipe so that we could have leftovers.

 Chicken: Canola Oil
1 Egg
1 Cup of Milk
1 Cup of Flour
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Powdered Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
I Tablespoon of Salt
2 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast, cut in strips or cubed Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce:
3/4 Cup of White Sugar
1/4 Cup of Soy Sauce
1/3 Cup of White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon of Ketchup
2/3 Cup of Water
2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch  ChickenMix together Egg and Milk.

Place cut chicken in mixture and let sit.

While the chicken is sitting, in a separate bowl, mix together the flour, powdered sugar, pepper and salt. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture. Repeat these last two steps to double dip the chicken. That's how you get the Chick-fil-A goodness :-)

Heat the oil to 375 degrees. You can use a deep fryer or simply heat in a frying pan on the stove top. Gently drop your chicken pieces in the heated oil and cook until golden brown.

Serve with homemade sweet and sour sauce (recipe below).
Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce
Place the Sugar, Vinegar, Water, Soy Sauce, Ketchup and Cornstarch in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir continuously until mixture has thickened. You will see it turn to a gel consistency.  ENJOY!

Honey Lime Chicken Alfredo

 

2 pounds of chicken   Marinade (from The Enchanted Cook):

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes), plus the zest of both limes
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Alfredo Sauce (from Pioneer Woman): 1 stick Butter 1 cup Heavy Cream Salt and Pepper, to taste 2 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese Pasta of choice  Chicken:

In a large plastic bag or shallow dish combine all of the ingredients for the marinade. Mix well. Add chicken and turn to coat. Place in refrigerator overnight.

Heat grill (either outdoor grill, or indoor grill pan) to medium high. Grill chicken for approximately 6-7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. 

 

Slice chicken into small strips.

Pasta:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

 Drain pasta.

Sauce:

In a saucepan or skillet, warm butter and cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Add parmesan cheese and mix.

Throw it all together and enjoy!

Mom's Chicken Shepherd's Pie

This recipe is a cross between chicken pot pie and shepherd's pie. The inside is like a chicken pot pie, but the top is covered with mashed potatoes like a shepherd's pie. It tastes great and is easier to make than the classic chicken pot pie.

 Mashed Potato Topping:6-8 large red potatoes salt to taste1 8-oz pkg spinach artichoke cream cheese spread1/2 - 1 cup milk or chicken brothOptional: green onions, chives, or parsley depending on preferences (we used green onions because my husband LOVES them)seasoning to taste (we used Kirtland's no-salt seasoning)
Chicken Pie Filling: 1 rotisserie chicken, cut in chunks 1 small bag frozen peas8-9 large cooked carrots (less if you're not a carrot lover) Gravy:5-6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (depending on how thick you want it)2 Tbsp. butter2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil (or you can use more butter)32 oz minus 1/2 - 1 cup chicken broth (we buy the 32 oz. containers and use whatever is left after using some for potatoes)seasoning to taste (we used Kirtland's no-salt seasoning) paprika to sprinkle on top  Potatoes and Carrots:Steam the potatoes until very soft. Cook the carrots with a little water (just enough to cover the bottom) and 1 Tbsp. butter. Cover and cook until soft. Pour peas in with carrots.  Mash potatoes.  Mix in broth or milk and seasoning. Mix until combined, then add cream cheese spread.  You want your potatoes to be very moist. Add any green onions, chives, or parsley.
To make the gravy:

Place butter and olive oil in skillet and heat. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Whisk in the chicken broth and seasoning. Cook until thickened.
Assembly:In a 9x13 casserole dish layer (1) carrots and peas, (2) chicken chunks and gravy, (3) mashed potatoes.

 

Sprinkle paprika on top.

 

Cook:

Cook for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F. If you want the top browned you can also broil it for a short time.

Mom's Taco Soup

This is a super easy dish that I love! It's my favorite soup :-) It's one of those "throw it all on the pot" dishes. You could even adapt it for the crock pot.

  Soup: 1 lb. ground turkey or beef (we used turkey) 1 diced onion 1 pkg. taco seasoning 3-4* cans beans (you can use whatever you have on hand: kidney, black, pinto, some of each, etc.) 1 can diced tomatoes 1 can corn 1 can tomato soup garlic powder to taste   *The more cans you use the thicker the soup will be.
Optional Toppings: Frito Lay chips 1 can black olives, sliced tomatoes, diced feta cheese shredded cheese green onion  avocado, diced sour cream salsa   Brown ground turkey or beef with diced onion and season. Drain the excess fat.   Add cans to pot. You don't have to drain them.   Cook til warmed.    You can add more beans if you want a thicker soup or more liquid (tomato soup, chicken broth, water, whatever) to thin the soup depending on your preference.   Serve with desired toppings.