Dinners, Soups

Recipe—Keto White Chicken Chili

Okay, you may be thinking, “Why is this Diva posting a chili recipe as the weather is warming up? Isn’t chili a cool weather dish?” Here is my response, this is probably one of the best keto meals I have ever had, and the flavors are so good that I absolutely eat this any time. Plus, it is just so easy to make, and in my opinion, an easy one pot recipe is welcome year-round.

I have been “doing keto” since June 2020 and am down 33 lbs. Yay me! Now don’t worry, this blog is not suddenly turning keto. I am just all about offering variety to my followers and I could not keep this recipe to myself, it is just too good! If you are a long time follower, you know my blog is anything but a keto or diet blog.

Now even if you aren’t on a ketogenic diet, you can absolutely enjoy this recipe as is, or what I do for my husband and son who are full on carbivores (I just made that up), is split the cooked chili into two batches after it is all cooked. One keto batch for me, and one carb loaded version for them. I have integrated carbs two different ways for them. One time I added a can of white cannellini beans to their chili and another time I served this over a bowl of cooked rice. Both of those options were very well received.

Hope you love this recipe as much as I do because it is definitely one of my new favorite “go tos”.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground chicken (or turkey)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
4 tbsp butter
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 a yellow onion, diced
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, deseeded and chopped
1 1/2 c chicken broth
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 c heavy cream
4.5-ounce can diced green chiles, drained

GARNISHES
avocado
cilantro
cotija cheese, crumbled

STEPS

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat and add the ground chicken breaking it apart as it cooks.
  • Season the meat with cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and continue cooking until it is almost cooked through.
  • Add the butter, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and jalapeño to the pot.
  • Sauté until all the veggies are cooked through and tender, about 5–10 minutes.
  • Add the broth to the pot and bring to a simmer.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes and then add the cream cheese, heavy cream, and green chiles.
  • Continue simmering for another 15 minutes stirring every once in a while, making sure that the cream cheese melts and is nicely integrated.
  • Garnish with avocado, cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese.
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Dinners

Recipe—Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

Chicken parmesan has got to be one of my favorite Italian dishes. I don’t make it very often because of the amount of work that it requires but I love the stuff! I also love meatloaf, the hubby not so much. Well I saw a recipe the other day for an Italian chicken meatloaf and I thought to myself, why not give it more of a kick and incorporate my favorite chicken parm qualities, flavorful marinara and melted mozzarella…and this gorgeous chicken parmesan meatloaf was made. I expected the loaf to be much dryer, but with the sauce and eggs, it was the moistest meatloaf I have ever made, hands down. The parsley and basil give the meat a nice Italian flavor but really took it over the top was the homemade sauce and fresh mozzarella smothering the top. Delish! I love that this recipe is not only tasted fantastic but it is light on carbs and low in calories. I was able to whip this recipe up in less than 15 minutes so the hardest part was waiting for it to bake. And best of all, the hubby liked it.

Note: I used panko instead of breadcrumbs to keep the carbs down but I imagine some Italian seasoned breadcrumbs would be wonderful!

INGREDIENTS
2 lb ground chicken meat
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 eggs
1–1 1/2 c panko
2 c marinara sauce, divided
1/2 c parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 c fresh basil, chopped, divided
1/4 c fresh Italian parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
8 oz fresh mozzarella ball, sliced

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 375º.
  • In a large bowl combine the meat, garlic, onion, eggs, panko, a 1/2 cup of the marinara, parmesan cheese, a 1/4 cup of the chopped basil, Italian parsley, salt and pepper. (I start with a cup of the panko crumbs and add more as needed to help absorb some of the moisture.)
  • Mix until well combined.
  • Shape the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place in a large greased baking dish.
  • Bake for 40 minutes.
  • Remove loaf from oven and pour remaining marinara sauce over the top.
  • Layer the sliced mozzarella over the top and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes.
  • Turn on the broiler for 3–4 minutes to brown the cheese.
  • Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
  • Garnish the meatloaf with the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped basil and slice to serve.
Dinners, Sandwiches

Recipe—Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken Burger with Guacamole

This chicken burger is the love child of Mexican and American cuisine. It is delicious. Or should I say was delicious, because my husband and I each devoured ours. The entire thing. This had to be the most flavor packed chicken burger I have ever had. Usually when I think of turkey or chicken burgers I think of dry flavorless patties. Not the case with these bad boys! These jalapeño cheddar chicken burgers were incredibly moist and definitely not short on flavor. If you are looking for a way to spruce up the average burger, or even to cut some calories give these burgers a try. They are definitely unique and unlike any chicken burger you have probably ever had before, the perfect burger to enjoy with a refreshing Corona on a warm summer day. Ahhhhhh yeaaahhhhh. That’s what I’m talking about.

Note: These can definitely be cooked on the barbeque. I used my skillet because ground chicken tends to stick easily due to the low fat content.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 c yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 c fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp jalapeño, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 c shredded cheddar
kosher salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2–4 buns

FABULOUS TOPPINGS
guacamole
slices of cheddar cheese
lettuce
sliced tomatoes
sliced red onion

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Combine ground chicken, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, paprika, cheddar, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
  • Using your hands mix everything together.
  • Form the mixture into 2–4 patties depending on the size you want.
  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add the patties and cook for 5–7 minutes per side or until cooked through.
  • While the patties are cooking toast the buns in the oven or 4–5 minutes.
  • Place each patty on a bun and garnish with whatever your heart desires. (I would use all the garnishes I recommended if I were you.)