Spinach Artichoke Dip has become an iconic appetizer. You can find it at most gatherings, lots of restaurants, and pre-made in the grocery store. Most everyone loves the creamy, garlicy flavor that has just enough vegetables to make it slightly less guilt producing. Spinach and artichoke have an affinity that makes them work so well in this dip, but they happily go hand in hand in lots of other dishes.
The weather almost demanded that the pizza be cooked on the grill, so of course I complied.The result was crisp tasty pizza with just a hint of smokey goodness. This would be equally delicious baked in the oven as mini pizzas or one large one.Give this recipe a try.
Toss the chicken bits with the Mrs Dash blend. Place in a zip top bag and allow to marinate in the refrigerator over night.
When you are ready to prepare the pizza, remove the chicken from the frig. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken, spreading it out in a single layer. Cook until it is golden brown and cooked through. This should take about 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving the drippings. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so until it begins to become fragrant.
Add the artichokes and spinach to the pan and continue to cook for 4 - 5 minutes. When everything looks blissful, remove the mixture from the pan.
Stir the cream cheese and half & hlaf together in a small bowl. Add the Italian Herb grinder blend and stir to combine.
Open the pizza dough and allow it to rest for 10 minutes or so. Cut in 4 pieces and stretch slightly to an even thickness on a mat that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Spray both sides of the dough lightly as well.
On the upper rack of a hot grill lay the dough pieces leaving room between each. Cook 3 minutes until lightly browned and marked. Turn and grill 2 minutes more. Remove from grill and lay on large baking sheet, browner side up.
Divide the cream cheese mixture among the four dough pieces. Spread evenly almost to the edges.
Top each pizza with the Spinach/Artichoke mixture and sprinkle the chicken on top. Add the cheese blend to the pizzas along with drizzle of olive oil.
Place the pizzas back on the grill (top rack if you have one). Put the lid down and cook for 3 minutes. Check the pizzas and move them around to help them cook evenly.
Continue to cook, moving around as needed. the cheese should be melted and the bottom crust deeply marked but not burned.
Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and a dusting of red pepper flakes if you dare and serve.
Mix the parsley, chives, and thyme with the mayonnaise. Spread the mixture on both sides of the chicken breasts.
Heat a fry pan over medium heat. Spray lightly with non-stick spray. Add the chicken breasts and cook, turning once until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side. Remove from pan and allow to cool slightly.
Make the Dressing: Combine the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake until everything is blended together. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Toast the walnuts over low heat in a small fry pan. Cut the cherries in half and remove the pits. Cut the grape tomatoes in half lengthwise. Set all of these aside.
Divide the lettuce between two large plates. Slice the chicken thinly and place on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle the cherries, tomatoes and walnuts on top of the chicken. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad. Top with the blue cheese crumbles and serve.
Most of the time grill meals stand alone as do pasta meals. That changed the other night when the two meals collided. What could be better than pasta, grilled chicken and vegetables? It’s kind of the best of both/all worlds. This makes a wonderful dinner and the leftovers (if there are any) get better with a day or two in the frig.
The dressing does double duty acting as a marinade for the chicken and vegetables as well as the sauce for the finished dish. This can be eaten warm, at room temperature or throw it in the frig to get cold and call it pasta salad.
A few healthy words on the ingredients. Whole wheat pasta is really delicious. It turns out “al dente” just by it’s very nature. It’s bigger taste and texture allow smaller quantites to feel like more. Less pasta means more veggies and a big bowl of goodness for a lower calorie and carb investment. While there is a good bit of olive oil in the dressing/marinade, some goes away in the marinating process and when you split this dish four ways, the impact isn’t too serious.
Dressing: Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice into a container with a tight fitting lid. Add the balsamic, zest, mustard, and anchovy paste. Finely chop the parsley and add it to the jar. Mince the garlic on a cutting board. Add the salt and continue to chop/smash until a paste forms. Add this to the jar. Pour in the olive oil and a few grinds of fresh ground pepper. Shake vigorously until mixture is completely blended.
Place the chicken in a zip top bag. Add 2 tablespoons of the dressing and seal the bag. Squeeze to distribute dressing over chicken. chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Place the asparagus in another zip top bag and add 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Seal the bag. Turn and shake the bag to distribute the dressing over the asparagus. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Store the rest of the dressing in the refrigerator.
When it's time to grill, remove the chicken and asparagus from the frig. Peel the onion and cut it in half crosswise. Use two wooden skewers to hold the onion together. Brush with a little bit of the dressing. Grill the chicken and vegetables. (15-20 minutes or so). Remove to cutting boards when cooked.
Cook pasta in salted water until "al dente" while the chicken and vegetables grill.
Cut the grape tomatoes in half lengthwise. Roughly chop the olives. Tear the basil into small pieces
Drain the pasta and put in a large bowl. Slice the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the pasta. Cut the asparagus in thirds and add to the pasta bowl.
Add the tomatoes, olives, and basil to the bowl and toss gently to combine. Add the rest of the dressing to the bowl and toss once more to mix everything together.
Serve in pasta bowls topped with the crumbled Feta Cheese.
Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until lightly crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
Add the chicken to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through, 7 -10 minutes. Remove from pot and drain on paper towels. Remove all drippings except a scant tablespoon.
Add the onions and garlic and cook stirring frequently until the onion is softened and the garlic is fragrant but not brown. Add a small amount of the chicken stock to the pan to de-glaze it, scraping up any brown bits.
Add the butter to the pot and allow it to melt. Add paprika, salt, pepper, chipotle and Worcestershire sauces. Stir to combine. Add the flour a little at a time. Stirring to combine after each addition. Once the flour is all incorporated, Allow to cook over low heat for a minute or two, stirring frequently.
Add the chicken stock stirring to prevent lumps. Add the beer stirring as with the stock. Bring mixture just to a boil, Reduce the heat and simmer stirring occasionally until mixture thickens, 5-8 minutes.
Add the bacon and chicken back into the pot. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the half & half and continue to cook over low heat until everything is hot and happy. Add the cheese a little at a time stirring until each addition melts.
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