(Marinade for 12 pieces of chicken, halve this recipe for four to six pieces)

1 cup oil
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons Miracle Whip or Miracle Whip light (I use the Fit & Active version with light blue lid)
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt (to taste)
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoons thyme
1 tablespoon garlic salt

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Use to marinate chicken pieces at least 30 minutes and then to baste the meat as it cooks in the oven or over hot coals.

4 chicken breasts
2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes (you can use fresh or a can of diced tomatoes)
1/2 cup Italian Dressing

Slow Cooker Version: Place all ingredients in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for six hours. Serve over spaghetti or rice with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. This is delicious with a side of roasted green beans.

Oven Version: Throw frozen chicken breasts in. Pour sauce, tomatoes, & Italian dressing on top. Bake at 375 for 1 hour (or longer if they are large chicken breasts).

Make-Ahead Version: Throw all of the ingredients in a freezer bag and label with cooking directions. To prepare, just thaw and follow one of the versions above.

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced (I omitted this)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used petite diced)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. heat olive oil in a medium skillet and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts. Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken and add basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Simmer until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, approximately fifteen minutes. Serve over a bed of rice or spaghetti.

This would be delicious served up with a side of green beans and a big sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. The dinner comes together in about twenty minutes which makes it a great dish to entertain with or to throw together on a weeknight. Enjoy!

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced (I omitted this)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used petite diced)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. heat olive oil in a medium skillet and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts. Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken and add basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Simmer until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, approximately fifteen minutes. Serve over a bed of rice or spaghetti.

This would be delicious served up with a side of green beans and a big sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. The dinner comes together in about twenty minutes which makes it a great dish to entertain with or to throw together on a weeknight. Enjoy!

To see our review of this recipes, please visit this post!

One-Pan Chicken & Potato Bake

4 bone-in chicken pieces (1 ½ pounds)
4 large potatoes cut into wedges
1/4 cup Italian Dressing (I used ½ cup because I wanted more flavor to the chicken & potatoes)
¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken & potatoes in 13×9” baking dish. Pour dressing over chicken & potatoes; sprinkle with cheese. Bake one hour or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.

Lazy Gal’s Chicken & Noodle Soup

Chicken-Bacon-Ranch Wraps

3 cups coarsely shredded deli rotisserie chicken (from 2-2 1/2 lb chicken)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
8 slices cooked bacon, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)
1 cup ranch dressing
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce

In large bowl, gently mix all ingredients except tortillas and lettuce. Cover; refrigerate up to 3 days. To make one wrap, spread a generous 1/3 cup chicken mixture on tortilla. Top with 1/2 cup shredded lettuce; roll up. Note: Warm the tortillas slightly in the microwave so they are more pliable. The filling can also be heated in the microwave (heat individual portions on High for 30-45 seconds) to make a hot sandwich.

Serve with Shoestring Oven Fries

Please send your submissions to amy@momadvice.com and title your emails “Aldi Recipe Submission.” I am looking forward to sharing some of the foods you prepare in your kitchen! Many thanks to Mary for our first reader contribution!

Notes from the chef: I don’t do the mushrooms (can’t stand mushrooms), so I can’t comment on how those are. I use a Cuisinart Contact Grill and it cooks the thinned out chicken breasts at about 5 min. I’ve also used the marinade on plain old boneless-skinless – not pounded thin chicken, and put it in the oven at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. On the pasta, I don’t always use the butter with the spices. I’ve been known to just mix the sourcream, lemon juice, and cheese, and toss it with the pasta, totally skipping the butter part. Kids still love it – one less pan for me to wash – less work, too.

I hope you enjoy!!!

Mary

Lemon Grilled Chicken and Mushrooms

Servings: 4

1. Preheat indoor grill. If you have a grill with a variable temperature control, set it to medium-high (1 or 2 steps below high) or to about 350 to 400 degrees F.

2. Marinade: mix the lemon juice, oil, Dijon-style mustard, garlic, pepper and salt.

3. Divide the marinade between two (1-gallon) zippered freezer-weight storage bags, 1-quart airtight containers or shallow square glass dishes (8 x 8 x 2-inch). Set aside while you prepare the chicken and mushrooms.

4. Spread a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat work surface. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer over the plastic wrap. Cover the breasts with another large piece of plastic wrap. Pound the breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet, bottom of a large heavy skillet or rolling pin until evenly flattened to about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.

5. Put the pounded breasts into one of the marinade-filled bags, containers or dishes. Turn the chicken so all surfaces are coated with the marinade. Zip the bag dosed, or cover the container or dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.

6. Prepare and marinate the portobello mushrooms. Using a small pairing knife cut the stems from the portobello mushrooms and slice the caps into 1-inch thick strips.

7. Put the mushrooms into the remaining marinade-filled bag, container or dish. (Note: If you are marinating the chicken overnight, do not put the mushroom slices in the marinade filled bag or container until up to 2 hours before cooking. The mushrooms will get too soggy if marinated longer.)

8. With your fingertips, gently turn the mushroom pieces so all surfaces are coated with the marinade. Zip the bag dosed, or cover the container or dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

9. Grill the chicken and mushrooms. If you have a grill with a small grilling surface, grill the mushrooms first, then the chicken.

10. If you own a larger capacity grill, grill everything snnultaneously. Transfer the grilled food to a platter covered with aluminum foil to keep it warm until serving time.

11. Spray all surfaces of the mushrooms and chicken with cooking spray before putting them on the grill. Grill the mushrooms until grill marks appear, they are cooked through and a little over half their size when raw. Grill the chicken until the interior temperature reaches 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. (about 4-6 minutes on a hot double sided grill) The meat should no longer be pink in the center, and all the juices should run clear when pricked with the tip of a knife.

12. To serve, slice the lemon into very thin rounds. Place equal amounts of pasta on four dinner plates. Slice the chicken breasts across the grain into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Arrange equal amounts of the chicken and the grilled mushrooms on top of the Lemon Cream Capellini on each plate.

13. Sprinkle each plate with equal amounts of the capers, and parsley. Garnish with the thinly sliced lemon. Serve immediately with hot garlic bread and a Caesar salad.

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Lemon Cream Capellini:

1. In a 4- to 5-quart pot, bring very hot tap water, salt and oil to a rolling boil over high heat with the cover on. (The cover helps the water boil faster because the steam is trapped.)

2. When water is boiling, add the pasta. Part of the pasta will be sticking out of the pot. Stir gently until the pasta softens and all the noodles fit in the pot. Cover the pot and bring the water back up to a boil, about 1 to 3 minutes. When the water begins to boil again, take the cover off, and cook for 8 to 12 minutes until tender but slightly chewy (al dente). Since cooking times vary per brand, read the package for exact timing.

3. When pasta is done, drain immediately in a large colander.

4. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in the pepper, salt and nutmeg. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Measure the sour cream, lemon juice and Parmesan into a 2or 3-cup bowl or measure. Whisk the butter mixture into the sour cream.

6. Using a rubber spatula, fold the lemon cream sauce into the hot pasta right before serving. Cover to keep warm if chicken and mushrooms are not quite done.

1 large egg
3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
30 round buttery crackers, crushed (1 cup)
1/4 Tsp each: paprika, pepper and salt
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb chicken tenders

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup); coat foil with nonstick spray. Put egg in shallow bowl; beat lightly with a fork. Put melted butter in another shallow bowl. Mix crushed crackers, paprika, pepper, and salt on a sheet of wax paper; spread Parmesan cheese on another sheet. Dip tenders in egg, then cracker mixture to coat; then dip 1 side in melted butter, then Parmesan cheese. Place tenders cheese side up on lined pan. Bake 12-15 minutes or until tenders are golden and cooked through.

Serve with honey for dipping, macaroni, & baby carrots.

1# chicken breast (or 1# boneless top sirloin)
1 T. vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 cup mild salsa
1 package taco seasonings
2 cups minute rice (uncooked)
8-12 tortilla shells
Heat oil in a skillet. Add chicken; cook until lightly brown. Stir in water, salsa, and seasoning mix. Heat to a boil and stir in rice; cover. Remove from heat and let stand five minutes. Spoon into tortillas and top with shredded cheese.

Serve with a side of tortilla chips & salsa.