Dinner By The Fire #4 - Cajun "Fire" Chicken Salad

Photo by Dinner with the Shivers

I found and tried this amazing recipe from: Dinner with the Shivers

Cajun "Fire" Chicken Salad

1 lb boneless chicken breast
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 hearts romaine lettuce
1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp parsley (dried)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp onion
1 Tbsp garlic
1Tbsp pepper
1 Tbsp salt


Cut chicken into tenderloins (or you can buy it pre-cut if your grocer carries it). In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cayenne, parsley, nutmeg, onion, garlic, pepper, and salt. Stir to mix, and sprinkle over chicken. Heat oil in a saute pan on medium high. Cook chicken 8-10 minutes until cooked through and crisped. Set aside to cool.

Roughly chop the romaine. Top with shaved Parmesan. Slice the chicken on the diagonal. Lay chicken on the salad. Add any other toppings you prefer, and serve. Simple but good. Enjoy!

Dinner by The Fire 3 - Healthier Frito Pie

By Matthew Thompson for Eating Well Magazine

As a native of New England, I had never heard of Frito Pie until a Texas-born co-worker offered me some. And then…wow! As a fan of both salty, crunchy Fritos and spicy chili (my parents are from LA, so I'm not a totalYankee!), I couldn't get over this delicious dish.

For those not in the know, Frito Pie is essentially super chili. Traditionally, it's made by pouring a delicious, spicy chili over a bed of Fritos and then topping with a slathering of cheese (or Cheese Whiz). Yum!

But, as you might imagine, Frito Pie isn't exactly the world's healthiest meal. Fritos, while delicious, are packed with sodium (510 mg in a 3-ounce serving!) and saturated fat (4.5 g in a 3-ounce bag). Add to that the salt and fat in a serving of beef chili and globs of cheese on top and you've got a recipe for heart disease.

Don't Miss: 8 Tricks for the Best Healthy Chili
Hearty, Healthy Chili Recipes

Read More »

Dinner by The Fire 2 - Roasted Corn & Chicken Soup

Photo and recipe by Joyce Bahorich

Roasted Corn and Chicken Soup

4 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 can (15 ounces) yellow corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) white corn, drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 can  diced green chilis
1-1/2 pound cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
1-2 packets taco seasoning mix
4-6 cups chicken broth
½ cup instant brown rice
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Garnishes:  Southwestern tortilla chips, sour cream, cheddar cheese, fresh guacamole , more cilantro

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in large skillet until hot.  Add corn.  Cook until brown, about 10 minutes; stir often to prevent corn from burning.  Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, onion, and chiles.  Cook and stir 5 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a large pot.  Stir in shredded chicken.  Add seasoning mix and toss to combine.  Stir in chicken broth , black beans, rice, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and add more chicken broth and taco seasoning if soup needs more liquid; add cilantro.  Simmer 15 minutes.  

Makes 8 servings

Joyce Bahorich