Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch Sandwiches

We love pretty much anything with chicken, bacon, and ranch. And a good Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich is at the top of our list! Typically David makes the bacon while I grill the chicken on our George Forman and everything comes together really quickly. Another tip I have, that I've just started doing recently, is to buy the marked down bags of hard rolls at the store and stick them in the freezer. They won't go bad if they are in the freezer and then on the day that you want to make the sandwiches just pull the rolls out and let them sit on the counter. (Or stick them in the microwave on defrost.) The rolls taste delicious and you can just use them as you need. I've found that this saves us lots of money and is super convenient!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwiches
Source: The Peaden Kitchen

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts or strips
4 pieces of bacon
4 slices cheese
Ranch
4 Slices of bread or 2 rolls

Directions:
Cook bacon until crisp. Grill chicken on George Forman. After chicken is cooked through, take a fork and knife and slice each piece in half again to make your chicken thinner and cover more area on the sandwich. Toast bread or roll in toaster or on stove. Put bacon, chicken, and cheese on bread and add ranch. Enjoy! This meal is great with French Fries or Mozzarella sticks. (Makes 2 sandwiches)

White Chicken Chili

So, here is the deal - I love white chicken chili. I have been searching for "the" recipe for years. About 7 years to be exact. (We went to an event when we were engaged and had the most incredible white chicken chili. I've been trying to recreate it ever since.) For a while we used the McCormick White Chicken Chili Mix as a crutch, but I wanted something better and from scratch.

this. recipe. is. it.

Technically the original recipe was called green chili enchilada soup. But it fits the bill for what I want my white chicken chili to be. I guess it doesn't have beans. I'll add some great northern beans and then it will be legit.

White Chicken Chili
Source: Lil Luna

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
2 - 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
2 - 15 oz. cans mild green enchilada sauce
2 - 4 oz. cans diced green chiles
⅔ cup water
1½ TB cumin
1 TB chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
⅔ cup corn (if frozen, thaw out)
⅔ cup instant rice
1 - 8 oz. bar cream cheese (cubed)
salt and pepper
Monterrey Jack Cheese

Instructions

Place chicken broth, enchilada sauce, green chiles, water, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder in a large pot. Heat through, add shredded chicken, corn, rice, and cubed cream cheese. Simmer about 10 minutes or until cream cheese has melted and rice is done.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with Monterrey Jack cheese and assorted toppings (ie. avocado). 

(Crock Pot Instructions)

Place chicken broth, enchilada sauce, green chiles, water, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder and shredded chicken in crock pot on HIGH. Cook for 3.5 hours.
After cooking for 3.5 hours add corn, rice and cubed cream cheese. Stir and cook for half hour.
Add salt and pepper to taste and top with Monterrey Jack Cheese.

Potato Supreme

This is David's very favorite meal. If you even compare it to another dish similar to it (i.e. funeral potatoes) he gets pretty grumpy. We have making it down to a two-part science. I love that we each have our own jobs and that we finish perfectly on time, every time. Try this out. It's warm, gooey, and delicious.

Potato Supreme
Source: Sue Peaden

Ingredients:
8-10 Medium Potatoes
1 Pint Sour Cream
2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can of milk
2 tablespoons onion flakes
2 cups of corn flakes
3-5 cups of cheese
2 Tablespoons butter

Directions:
Boil potatoes 45 minutes until soft. Let cool. Peel and grate potatoes and put in 9X13 pan. In a medium size bowl mix sour cream and cream of chicken soup. Mix in 1 can of milk and then add cheese. In small frying pan saute onion flakes until brown and add to soup mix. Mix the majority of the soup mix with the potatoes. Use remaining soup mix to put a very thin layer of sauce on top of potato and soup mixture. Put the corn flakes in a ziplock baggie and crush into smaller pieces. Melt the butter, add to the baggie and mix together. Sprinkle corn flakes on the top. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. This meal can also be saved in the fridge and cooked the next day at 350 for 1 hour.

Creamy Italian Chicken

This is a Peaden Family Favorite. Warm, creamy, tasty, and oh-so easy! This is the perfect Sunday dinner and we really love it. 

Creamy Italian Chicken
Source: Sue Peaden

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. dry italian dressing mix
1/4 c. water

1 pkg. cream cheese

1 c. milk (to consistency)

Directions:

Mix italian dressing with water. Place chicken in crock pot and cover with water/dressing mix. Cook on low for 3 hours. After those three hours are up, soften the cream cheese and mix with cream of chicken soup. Add milk to until you have reached a good consistency. (David and I like it a little thin - you don't have to add any milk if you don't want to.) Cook for one hour. Serve over rice.

Chicken Enchiladas {my favorite}

My mom made this for us all growing up. This is the recipe that I would always request for my birthday dinner. I love it. I can't think of a meal that is a better feel good - comfort food. Once, my little sister tried to ruin this creamy goodness by putting enchilada sauce on the top. Just the thought of it makes me squirm. Apparently, she said it was good - but I like the combination of the flavors and textures here.

Chicken Enchiladas
Source: Lori Walker

Ingredients:
1 large chicken breast
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
1 - 8oz can chopped green chilies
1/2 onion, diced
3-5 cups cheddar cheese, grated
Flour Tortillas - about 12 depending on their fullness

Directions:
Boil chicken until done. Mix soups and sour cream and divide in half. To one half of the mixture: add chilies, onion, 1/2 of the cheese and all of the chicken. Roll chicken mixture in tortillas and place seam side down in baking pan that has been lightly sprayed with Pam. Cover with remainder of sauce and then grated cheese. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove tinfoil and bake for 15 additional minutes.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

We got this recipe from and we absolutely LOVE it.  Seriously, this is a new family favorite.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Source: Howe to Cook

Ingredients:
1 can cream of potato soup
1 can chicken broth
1 jar Fiesta Nacho Cheese (Campbells)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 shredded chicken breast (I boil it for about 30 minutes)
1/4 packet taco seasoning
1/2 can diced chilies
1 can corn (drained)

Directions:
Put everything into a pot, stir together, bring to a boil, and serve with tortilla chips.

Cheesy Potato Soup

This is one of my favorite soups ever. So delicious and makes great leftovers.

Cheesy Potato Soup
Source: Lori Walker

Ingredients:
What the recipe Says: 
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely shredded
1can chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
2 cups potato, cubed
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
2 cups shredded cheese (at least)

What we actually DO:

1 medium onion, diced
1 cups celery, finely chopped (3-4 stalks) 
1.5 cups carrot, finely shredded (3-4 medium carrots) 
1can chicken broth + enough water to cover the potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
5 cups potato, cubed (3-5 russet potatoes) 
1 12 oz can evaporated milk 
2 cups shredded cheese (at least)

Directions:
Saute onion, celery and carrot in 2 tablespoons butter until transparent. Combine broth, salt, pepper, and potato in a large soup pan. Add the sauteed vegetables. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently until potatoes are tender. Add evaporated milk and heat thoroughly. Thicken with roux (2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup cold water.) Stir in cheese (cheese can be added to taste).

Serve hot, with cheese on top.

****We also like to add 1 can whole kernel corn to this soup.