Creamy Southwestern Chicken | Birds Eye® Protein Blends

Time-saving items are essential around here these days, especially when it comes to cooking dinner. If you have a kid or two {and even if you don't!} you probably know what I mean. That last few hours of the day can get pretty hectic as everyone gets home, gets settled and gets hungry.

We seem to have our routine down {for now}, but even so, I find myself standing in front of the refrigerator looking for solutions to completing our meals. The "main" part of dinner isn't usually a problem as we tend to rotate between chicken, fish, ground turkey, lean pork chops, etc., etc. But filling the space on the plate next to the entree is usually where it gets tricky.

Almost on cue every night, you can hear me ask, "What do you want as a side?", to which my ever-so-helpful husband replies, "A vegetable."

Yeah... thanks, dear.

Meanwhile, the growling stomachs and hunger meltdowns begin and soon we find ourselves venturing into very crabby territory, which doesn't help my kitchen creativity. The result? Plain, sauteed veggies. Drab, unappealing side dishes. Lackluster, uninspired add-ons.

Unless, of course, you find something that can swoop in to the rescue and be ready in minutes...

Enter Birds Eye® Protein Blends. I found these at Walmart and thought they'd be worth a try, and boy was I right.

Last week I found myself in a pinch as the day was winding down, dinnertime was approaching and my toddler was trying to eat crayons. {Non-toxic, sure, but definitely not nutritious.} And then I remembered this was in the freezer. Score!

Since the veggies were seasoned with a Southwest Style sauce, I went with the theme and made a quick, simple chicken and lightened up creamy sauce to go along with the side. Everything was so zesty and flavorful that I'm sure this meal will become a regular on rotation.

Right now you can save .50 off Birds Eye® Protein Blends with this iBotta offer. Save money, time and sanity and treat yourself to an easy dinnertime routine.

Now the only thing my husband will hear me yell from the kitchen is, "Dinner's ready!" Music to our ears!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pinnacle Foods Group LLC. The opinions and texts are all mine.

Creamy Southwestern Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon chipotle powder, divided
Salt to taste

1 can diced tomatoes
Juice from 1/2 a lime
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 cup Greek yogurt {I used 2%}

1. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season each chicken breast with 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder {or your favorite southwestern seasoning} and salt.

2. Place chicken breasts in the pan and cook on the first side for about 4-6 minutes or until browned, then flip and brown the other side another 3-5 minutes. {It's ok if they're not fully cooked through as you will be returning them to the pan.

3. Remove chicken from pan and set aside on a plate.

4. To the pan, add all the sauce ingredients except yogurt and whisk to combine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken breasts to the pan, nestling them into the sauce.

5. Cover pan and simmer for another 8-10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.

6. Remove chicken once again and whisk yogurt into the sauce. Pour sauce into a blender {or use an immersion blender} and blend until completely smooth.*

To serve, ladle sauce over chicken. Serve with Birds Eye® Southwest Style Protein Blends.

{Gluten Free} Chicken Nuggets with Pumpkin Seed Pesto | NatureRaised Farms®

I have a few requirements for the dishes that make it to our dinner table:

1. Must taste good.

2. Must be nutritious.

3. Must try to be as natural as possible -- no funky ingredients, excessive processing, hormones & antibiotics --  and ethically produced.

4. Must not take forever to prepare.

5. But really... must taste good.

Sounds pretty basic, right?

You'd be surprised how limiting these rules can be when you're looking for quick meal solutions. Some things taste great but have an alarming amount of questionable ingredients. Or maybe they follow the rules, but the taste leaves something to be desired. If you'll notice, that rule is a non-negotiable!

The good news is there are options that can facilitate making the right choices for your family if your checklist looks anything like mine. And that means that throwing in the towel and making a beeline for the drive-thru will be a distant memory!

I'm going to be honest, I typically don't think to buy my chicken in the frozen section of the grocery store because most of the products in those freezers don't make the cut for me. But when I learned about NatureRaised Farms® working with farmers who care about how their animals are raised and treated so that they can provide a product that meet the list of "musts", I wanted to give them a hug. They get me! 

Because I set high standards in my own home, I appreciate it all the more when companies do the same. Give me something with recognizable ingredients, responsible practices, that taste good, and I'll be your BFFL. {Doesn't take much.}

Since NatureRaised Farms® covered a lot of the bases on my checklist as far as quality, safety and convenience, I was happy to spend my time focusing on my favorite part: Flavor!

Did you know that you don't have to limit your nugget-dipping to barbecue sauce and honey mustard?! I know: mind. blown. You can actually add flavor AND a little extra nutritious boost to your meal by making a dipper like this fabulous Pumpkin Seed Pesto! Served alongside some of my cinnamon-spiced sweet potato mash, this makes a meal that would pass inspection around here.

In my house, you would be more likely to find grilled chicken breast like this as the protein in this dish -- we're not in the "chicken nugget" phase of life just yet with our kiddo. But since I know a lot of you out there are, I just wanted to show that you can still add a little color and freshness to quick family favorites, which is good news for all!{Plus, I couldn't find the grilled chicken breasts in my local Target. Rats!}

I used NatureRaised Farms® Gluten Free Breast Nuggets, which I was able to toss into my cart on a Target run {woot!}. They're fully cooked chicken breast nuggets that bake in under 15 minutes and are breaded in a crunchy gluten free rice flour crust. The best part about this meal is that you can get the Pumpkin Seed Pesto and sweet potato mash made in the time it takes for the nuggets to bake, which means less time from kitchen to table. {See rule #4!}

So, go ahead and have your rules... and eat them, too!

Check out more easy weeknight recipes using NatureRaised Farms® products over on their Pinterest page!

Bonus: You can save 15% on any NatureRaised Farms Purchase from October 25 to November 7 with this Cartwheel app offer! As if you needed any other excuses to visit Target...

Chicken Nuggets with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
and Cinnamon-Spiced Sweet Potato Mash

4 NatureRaised Farms® Gluten Free Breast Nuggets, prepared as directed
1/2 cup roasted, lightly salted hulled pumpkin seeds
Handful of fresh basil -- about 1 cup loose leaves
1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil

For Chicken: Bake as directed.

For Pesto:

1. Place pumpkin seeds, basil, garlic, pumpkin puree in a food processor or blender jar. Pulse a few times to combine, then stream in olive oil while pulsing to reach desired consistency. {If the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time to thin it out.}

2. Taste and season with salt if necessary -- just be careful not to over-season if you used salted pumpkin seeds.

Serve alongside nuggets.

Social post & recipe is sponsored by NatureRaised Farms® Chicken but all comments and opinions are organically my own.

For Sweet Potato Mash:

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add in chopped sweet potato and boil until fork-tender, about 12-15 minutes. {While these boil, make your pesto!}

2. Drain and return to pat. Mash {or use a hand mixer} to achieve desired consistency.

3. Add butter and cinnamon, and mix to distribute evenly.

Serve hot.

Lilly Pulitzer-Style Baked Chicken + A Visit to Lilly Headquarters!

Earlier this year, Steve and I took a trip to Philadelphia to attend a wedding. While scouring the map for areas to visit and sites to see, I made the startling discovery that we would be SO.CLOSE to King of Prussia -- the location of Lilly Pulitzer headquarters!

Now, you know what a Lilly nut I am {though definitely not the kind that would sucker punch a fellow shopper for a Lilly-print hammock, I'm proud to say}, so I immediately began wondering if there could possibly be a way to take a peek behind the doors of The Pink Palace without having to scale a palm tree-pattered wall or hang from a scalloped awning... because I could see how that would be frowned down upon.

I may or may not have gone to pose with the Lilly sign before my invitation was confirmed.

Thankfully, I remembered that I had a contact on the inside -- the lovely Eleni with whom I had worked during my guest blogging stint a few years back. Though I'm normally painfully shy about these types of things {you wouldn't guess it, right?}, I mustered the gumption to send her a little message to let her know that I'd be in the area and hoped to hear back.

As luck would have it, my citrus-colored stars aligned and she agreed to let me pop by for a visit to the mother ship headquarters. To say that squeals ensued is an understatement. {Poor Steve.}

So, off we went to The Pink Palace to check out what happens in print paradise!

It really is pink!

Though you'd think that Lilly's headquarters would be located on a tropical island {or, you know, Palm Beach}, it is actually situated in a quiet, unassuming little area of Pennsylvania as the company's owners since the 90's resided here.

But cross beyond those glass doors and you'll forget that you're not in sunny South Florida. Designed to give employees the "feel" of Lilly's signature island chic vibe, the details of the space successfully transport you to a place where you want to kick off your McKim sandals and relax with an umbrella drink. {Though I can assure you, there was actual work going on throughout the facility!}

A glass atrium complete with pink and green chairs, awnings, ceiling fans {that run even through the cold winter months to keep everyone in the Florida frame of mind} and palm trees serves as a space for large scale meetings and company shindigs. Little details like faux store windows, Lilly-upholstered furniture and even door signs boasting legit Palm Beach street names make you forget that the ocean isn't within walking distance!

Eleni walked me {Well, us. I kind of forgot Steve was there.} through the offices, where I got to meet some of the amazing ladies who help keep the operation running smoothly. Meetings and spreadsheets and marketing plans... there's a lot that goes into keeping a huge company afloat. But in true Lilly fashion, there's always room for a little fun, seen here in the form of the ping pong table meeting room!

Ping pong/meeting room.

It was such a thrill to get a peek at inspiration boards, up and coming prints and collections that hadn't yet hit stores and feel like a true Lilly insider! I was so giddy that I didn't take too many pics, but I assure you that I captured it all in my mind and will forever remember every last darling detail.

Like Pinterest... on a real wall. With champagne. I die.

But alas... my tour had to come to an end. I took one last look around and took a little {mental} curtsy as I wished farewell to Lilly's colorful kingdom!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A few months after my trip, my friends at the Junior League of the Palm Beaches asked if I'd be interested in sharing a special recipe found in the reprint of their 1976 original cookbook, Palm Beach Entertains. The recipe, known as "Lilly Pulitzer's Baked Chicken", was said to be served often by the maven of entertaining herself. Being all hopped up on Lilly everything, I jumped at the chance!

The cookbook is filled with not only recipes to suit the tastes of the most discerning guests, but also a wealth of history about the island's culinary history, as well as stories and accounts that paint a picture of the dinner parties and soirees held by some of Palm Beach's most notable hostesses.

I loved leafing through the pages and taking in the black and white photos of Palm Beach past. A photo of Lilly's well-appointed {for the 1970s!} but casual kitchen was the perfect visual for getting "prepped" {ha!} to recreate her famous chicken dish with a modern, Dianna twist.

Despite her position in high society, Lilly was known for her casual, laid back approach to entertaining and this dish reflects her credo. In Lilly's version, simple, citrus marinated chicken {I mean... would you expect any other ingredient??} is dipped in butter and coated in potato chips... which, yum. To modernize the recipe, I kept the concept of her method, but updated the ingredients to something a little less guilt-ridden --  subbing out the butter for coconut oil and the potato chips for roasted plantain chips. Not only do these ingredients add extra tropical flair of the dish, but they also go well with the Cuban accompaniments that she'd often serve alongside the meal as a nod to her husband's heritage.

It was so much fun cooking up something that Lilly herself would have served to guests in her own home, and also to get to scope out the other recipes in The Junior League's classic cookbook. If you're Palm Beach history buff or have a love for recipe-collecting and entertaining, be sure to purchase a copy of Palm Beach Entertains! All the proceeds of cookbook sales go to charitable organizations; funds raised this year will go toward remodeling a home for children in foster care.

A great big thank you to The Junior League of the Palm Beaches and, of course, to my friends at Lilly Pulitzer for giving my Lilly-loving self the chance of a lifetime!

Lilly Pulitzer-Style Baked Chicken
Adapted from Palm Beach Entertains

1 cup fresh squeezed citrus juice {from lemons, limes & sour oranges}
3 tablespoons light rum
4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

3 cups crushed roasted plantain chips

1. In a gallon-sized zip-top bag, combine citrus juices, rum, garlic, salt and cilantro. Place chicken breasts in the bag and, pressing as much air out as possible, zip securely. Shake and squish the bag to coat chicken breasts in marinade. Place bag in a bowl or dish and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking dish that will accommodate all four pieces by spraying lightly with non-stick cooking spray or rubbing with some oil. Place the crushed plantain chips in a small pan or dish to prepare for dredging.

3. After the chicken is marinated, remove each piece from the bag and pat dry. Brush with melted coconut oil {or if you'd like, melt the coconut oil in a bowl and dunk in each chicken piece to coat.}

4. Dredge oil-coated chicken chicken in crushed plantain chips. Place in prepared baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until the outside is lightly browned and the chicken is completely cooked through.

Serve with rice, black beans and refreshing cocktails!

Classic Chicken Sliders | Tyson® Foods

There are few things that entice me to stand outside in the Florida heat. The "perspire while getting the mail" heat. The "feel like you're putting you're buckling your baby into a roasting pan when you secure him in his car seat" heat. The "glasses steam up when you step out of the cold grocery store" heat. It's intense and atrocious around these parts, mid-summer. 

All that said, I totally stood in front of a searing hot grill cooking up these sliders last week. Because nothing quite compares to the taste of char and smoke and caramelized barbecue sauce, and it's worth taking a second shower to get that classic flavor that is synonymous with summer. 

I like to get fancy at the grill from time to time, but sometimes you just want plain and simple staples like grilled chicken slathered with barbecue sauce. And sweet & spicy pickles. Let's not forget those.

Slap these spice-rubbed Tyson® Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs {available for a great price at your local Walmart} on the grill, and it'll be like you rang the dinner bell. As the smell wafts out, the family will bring it in. They'll be happy to take a break from the pool floats and shade trees after a bite of these diminutive delights. Though they're small in size, the combo of dry rub, pickles and KC Masterpiece® Kansas City Classic Barbecue Sauce is brimming with flavor!

So go ahead and brace yourself for the heat with an icy lemonade or a cold beer -- these bites are worth a little sweat! 

Classic Chicken Sliders
Recipe courtesy of KC Masterpiece 

21 oz. bottle  KC Masterpiece® Kansas City Classic Barbecue Sauce
Tyson® Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 package dinner/slider rolls

Dry Rub:
1½ teaspoons onion salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander

Spicy Pickles:
16 ounces dill pickle chips
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
2 cloves minced garlic

1. Halve each chicken thigh to make small for sliders. Combine dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Liberally apply to both sides of cutlets.

2. Place pickles in a bowl, keeping the jar and discarding the juice. Add sugar, red pepper flakes, hot sauce and garlic. Stir and let stand until the sugar dissolves. Place the mixture back into the jar and refrigerate until needed.

3. Build a charcoal fire with Kingsford® charcoal for direct grilling. Grill chicken directly over the hot coals for 2-3 minutes per side (or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the center of the chicken is no longer pink).

4. In a small saucepan, heat the KC Masterpiece Kansas City Classic Barbecue Sauce until warm, about 5-10 minutes. Remove cutlets from the grill and dip them in the sauce. Assemble sliders by slicing dinner rolls, placing chicken on roll and topping with pickles. Spear with a toothpick and serve.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods Inc. The opinions and text are all mine.