Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hi, friends. I hope all of you are having an awesome Friday. One more day of work until my "weekend"!

It's sort of sad, but I've been waiting for the weekend all week long. I'm still catching up from being away last weekend. When I spend the weekend traveling, I spend more time in the car than anything and I don't get my chores done, let alone get in much rest. #timemanagementproblems

I've been doing my best at making exercise a big priority. At the end of a long day, the last thing I want to do is put on spandex and sweat, but I never regret it and I always feel much better afterwards.

Other than some exercise, I've been a hard-core homebody lately, especially after I get home from work. If it's dark and cold, I'm not going anywhere :)

I'm hanging out with these guys...

And nothing is more appropriate for cold weather than soup. I. Love. Soup. And you will love this soup recipe that I'm sharing with you today. I just started throwing together ingredients and the result was awesome!

This Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup is sure to warm you up and it's actually pretty healthy for you. It's not a cream base soup, so it's a lot lower in fat and it's full of protein and fiber. Yum!

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

Rotisserie chicken, shredded (or 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded)
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained (around 14-15 ounces)
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (around 14-15 ounces)
1 can of diced tomatoes with peppers (around 14-15 ounces)
1 can of corn (around 10 ounces)
1 can of tomato paste (around 6 ounces)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
4 cups of chicken broth
5 small corn tortillas, cut into strips
salt, pepper, chili powder, onion powder, to taste
Shredded cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, or mexican blend), optional


Directions:

In a dutch oven or large pot, sautee the carrots and onions in olive oil until tender. Add the remaining ingredients (except for chicken and tortilla strips). Cook on high heat until the soup is boiling. Lower the heat to medium and cook for another ten minutes. Add the chicken and tortilla strips and cook for a few more minutes. Add shredded cheese to individual bowls, if desired.

Are you a soup lover? If so, what are your favorite homemade soups?

Honey Dijon Chicken

Hi, friends. How are you? I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend.

I took a Zumba class with a new-to-me instructor and it was wonderful. I had a ton of fun shakin' it and I have now found my new favorite Sunday activity.

I've also been crafting up some fun Valentine crafts and recipes. I might be biased (hello, Valentine's birthday), but there's something so fun about hearts, candy, chocolate, and love! I'll be sharing them over the next few weeks.

When life seems a little crazy, it is so much easier to have a simple dinner to make. Meal planning also helps, too. In case you're stuck in a quick dinner rut, here's a delicious and easy dinner idea for you: Honey Dijon Chicken.

I've totally made a different version of this recipe before. The original is here. I didn't have lemon juice and I didn't want to add bacon or as much cheese, but it still turned out excellent. Served alongside some fresh steamed green beans, it was a 15 minute dinner success.


Honey Dijon Chicken
adapted from Six Sisters Stuff

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups sliced fresh button mushrooms
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the first two ingredients and set aside.

Evenly coat the chicken in the olive oil. In a hot skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken (with the lid on) until cooked through. Turn the chicken every few minutes for even browning. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.

In the same skillet, saute the mushrooms until they are tender. Return the chicken to the skillet and top with cheese and the sauce mixture. Place the lid over the skillet and keep covered until the cheese has melted.


Here's to a wonderful week!

Lemon Pepper Rosemary Salt

My friend Jennifer gave me a jar of Lemon Pepper Rosemary Salt a while ago and it was so good! She and some friends got together and made different seasonings and this was one of the combinations they made. Now that it's officially grilling season, I thought I'd share the recipe with you. This is one you need to try!

This seasoning salt would taste great sprinkled on grilled meats, fish, streamed vegetables, and roasted chicken. I've used this seasoning on grilled chicken and roasted veggies and it tastes amazing. It has a great flavor that pairs perfectly with everything. I especially love the hint of lemon paired with the rosemary; it tastes so fresh. I'll definitely be making more of this seasoning when I get fresh fish this summer.

Lemon Pepper Rosemary Salt

Makes about 1 cup of seasoning

Ingredients:

Grated zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
Fresh rosemary leaves from 2 (5-inch) branches (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup coarse sea salt

Directions:

In a food processor, add the ingredients (minus the salt) and process until finely chopped, about 1 minute. Add the salt and pulse until the salt forms smaller crystals and the mixture is blended, about 30 seconds. Pack into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 months for optimum flavor.

Lemon Pepper Rosemary Salt Grilled Chicken

Coat chicken in teriyaki sauce and sprinkle seasoning on the top of the chicken. Grill chicken (turning chicken over after about 5 minutes) until the internal temperature reaches 165*.

What is your favorite go-to seasoning?

Special-K Chicken Tenders

Happy Wednesday! I hope you all are having a great week. I'm finally back to teaching all of my fitness classes and I couldn't be happier. Tearing your Plantar Fascia is no joke.

Not even exaggerating, this thing has saved my life!

Anyway...

Do you guys ever get bored with plain ol' baked chicken breasts? Yeah, me too! These Special-K Chicken Tenders are definitely not boring. They are full of flavor and the texture is perfect-- they have a nice crunch! They're perfect for a weeknight dinner or any night that you're looking for a quick and easy recipe.

Special-K Chicken Tenders

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed Original Special- K cereal

1/4 teaspoon of each: black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and paprika

1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375* F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, combine cereal crumbs with the spices. In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs and mustard until well combined. 

Coat the chicken into the egg mixture, then coat in the cereal mixture. Lay chicken strip onto baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining chicken strips.

Cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick your chicken strips are. Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165*F. 

What's your go-to chicken recipe? 

Chicken is my main source of protein, so I'd love to hear your ideas.