Great recipes to get you back on track with a healthy fresh start to the new year.

Jodi’s Chicken Noodle Soup (Instant Pot)

Ingredients

  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts  (feel free to do boneless skinless thighs too)
  • 3 ribs of celery, sliced
  • 3 large carrots, sliced
  • 1-2 tablespoons butter (i may use more next time for more flavor)
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 cups uncooked egg noodles
  • 7 cups of chicken broth*** or chicken stock

*** Use only real or boxed chicken broth.  I don’t recommend bone broth for this recipe.  When I used bone broth – it was too bland. I added about ½ stick of butter when all cooking was finished, right before serving.   It needs that added flavor.

Directions

  1. Season the raw chicken and cut into bite sized pieces.  Cut all the veggies.  Melt the butter in the Instant Pot.
  2. Next, lightly brown the chicken pieces in butter in the IP, about 2 minutes on each side.
  3. Then turn the IP off.  Add celery, carrots, broth, thyme, salt, pepper and uncooked noodles.  Close the lid, move the valve to sealing, and turn it on to cook for 7 minutes.
  4. Once finished, do a quick release.  You CAN do a natural release – but it will add almost 15 minutes to your cooking time.  Serve and enjoy!

Jodi’s Creamy Artichoke Soup

This soup is Creamy BUT lean!! Here’s how I did it:

Ingredients:

  • 2 jars of medium (or small) artichoke hearts
  • 1 can of fat-free Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 1 can Cream of Celery Soup
  • 1 cup of chicken broth
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Pulse & mix artichokes (with liquid) in a blender or food processor until consistency you want.  I pulse mine because I want some artichoke pieces, and like it not completely smooth.
  2. Pour into a soup pot.  Then add cream soup cans, chicken broth and seasonings.
  3. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The recipe CAN be made more creamy with milk, whipping cream or half & half.  But my goal here was a lean, flavorful soup. I love it! It’s also good topped with a little parmesan cheese.

Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup (No Instant Pot)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.
  2. Cook onion and celery in butter until just tender, 5 minutes.
  3. Pour in chicken and vegetable broths and stir in chicken, noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
  4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes before serving.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Crust

  • 1 box Pillsbury™ refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling

  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken
  • 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1 (12-oz.) jar roasted chicken gravy

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Soften pie crust as directed on package. Remove 1 crust from pouch; unfold crust. Place crust in bottom and up sides of 1-quart casserole.
  2. In medium saucepan, combine all filling ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Pour into crust-lined casserole.
  3. Remove second crust from pouch; unfold crust. With small cookie cutter or sharp knife, cut holes in crust. Top casserole with crust; seal edges with fork or flute, trimming edges if necessary.
  4. Bake at 400°F. for 20 to 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown. If necessary, cover edge of crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning.

OR try this recipe instead if you prefer to make the crust yourself.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup or Campbell’s® Condensed 98% Fat-Free Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 1 cup reduced-fat (2%) milk
  • 1 package (12 ounces) of frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, green beans, corn, peas), thawed (about 2 1/4 cups)
  • 1 cup cubed cooked chicken or turkey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup biscuit baking mix

Directions:

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.  Stir the soup, 1/2 cup milk, vegetables and chicken in a 9-inch pie plate.
  2. Stir the remaining milk, egg and baking mix in a small bowl.  Spread the batter over the chicken mixture.
  3. Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

Smothered Chicken

From Holly Clegg’s KITCHEN 101: Secrets to Cooking Confidence cookbook
Effortless flavorsome chicken in a rich brown gravy served over rice is the ultimate comfort food. When done, leave on simmer until ready to serve, you can’t overcook — just gets more tender. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour dissolved in 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup fat-free chicken broth
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté onion and garlic until tender and browned, 5–7 minutes.
  2. Add 1/2 cup water and continue cooking 5 minutes. Add chicken. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and cook 20-30 minutes until chicken is tender.
  3. In small cup mix together flour and water and add to skillet, stirring until smooth and thickens. Gradually add broth, cooking until chicken is done and gravy is bubbling, another 15-20 minutes.
  4. Stir in green onions, parsley, and season to taste.

Nutritional info per serving:
Calories 216, Calories from Fat 18%, Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 97mg, Sodium 249mg, Carbohydrates 9g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Total Sugars 3g, Protein 33g, Dietary Exchanges:  1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat

Terrific Tip:  If you’re only using a small amount of parsley, dried parsley is fine.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 6 thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 pounds large sweet onions, vertically sliced (about 16 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 6 cups unsalted beef stock (such as Swanson)
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 24 (1/2-ounce) slices of whole-grain French bread baguette
  • 5 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 1/4 cups)

Directions:

  1. Place butter, thyme, and bay leaf in the bottom of a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Add onions; sprinkle with sugar. Cover and cook on HIGH for 8 hours.
  2. Remove thyme and bay leaf; discard. Add stock, vinegar, salt, and pepper; cook, covered, on HIGH for 30 minutes. Preheat broiler to high.
  3. Arrange bread in a single layer on 2 baking sheets; broil 30 seconds on each side or until toasted.
  4. Place 1 cup soup in each of 12 (8-ounce) ramekins or ovenproof bowls, or follow freezing instructions.
  5. Top each serving with 2 bread slices and about 2 tablespoons cheese.
  6. Place 6 ramekins on a jelly-roll pan; broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown. Repeat procedure with remaining 6 ramekins, bread slices, and cheese.

Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

Lay chicken thighs into the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Whisk soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, and basil together in a bowl; pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

  • 1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
  • 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
  • 1 cup water
  • 3/4 cup red wine
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet. Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat. Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast during cooking as possible. Sprinkle with pepper, cover, and cook on low setting for 4 hours. Serve with cooking liquid on the side as au jus.

Holly Clegg’s Lemon Feta Chicken 

This recipe is from Holly Clegg’s Eating Well to Fight Arthritis book! Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 2-pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves, divided
  • Pepper to taste
  • 3 ounces crumbed reduced fat feta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons chopped green onion

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat 13x9x2 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken in prepared baking dish, drizzle with half the lemon juice.  Sprinkle with half the oregano and pepper.  Top with cheese and green onion.  Drizzle with remaining lemon juice and oregano.  Baked, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until done.

Want more ‘Back in the Groove Food’? Check out our recipes from previous years, HERE!