Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls


I have never been to Chili's but someone told me about these and sounds delish and had to try them.  I love them and they were a hit!  A bit spicy but that is what we prefer.. you can adjust the spices so they aren't too spicy for you, add or omit a few ingredients is fine too.  
Serve with guacamole, salsa and sour cream.. yum!  
Why would I need to go to Chili's now!  *wink*

It is also a good recipe for that left over chicken you don't know what to do with.  This recipe calls for flour tortillas but you can also use eggroll wraps for a much crunchier, thinner taste. 
Recipe below:

INGREDIENTS:

1 chicken breast fillet
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced green onion
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons diced, canned jalapeno peppers
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
five 7-inch flour tortillas


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat barbecue grill to high heat.

Rub chicken breast with some vegetable oil then grill it on barbecue for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Lightly salt and pepper each side of chicken while it cooks. Set chicken aside until it cools down enough to handle.
*I skipped this part and used leftover chicken we had and cut it up

Preheat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add red pepper and onion to pan and sauté for a couple minutes until tender.

Dice cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to pan. Add corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to pan. Cook for another 4 minutes; stir well so that spinach separates and is incorporated into mixture. Remove pan from heat and add cheese; stir until cheese is melted.

Wrap tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 1 1/2 minutes or until hot.

Spoon approximately one-fifth of mixture into center of a tortilla. Fold in ends and then roll tortilla over mixture. Roll tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls.

*Arrange eggrolls on a plate, cover plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. ( I just let them sit for about an hour in the fridge before deep frying in oil).

Preheat 4-6 cups of oil to 375 degrees.
Deep fry eggrolls in hot oil for 12-15 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate.
Serves 3-4.

Chicken Carbonara

 
I watched a Giada show on food network and she made this wonderful, quick dish that I just had to try.  Everyone loved it!  
I bought a already cooked whole chicken from the deli and shredded it for a much easier and quicker meal.  One time I didn't nave Pancetta so I just used bacon and it turned out fine.
Recipe below:

 

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 8 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • Salt
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.
Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.