What’s Cooking This Week 🍽️

Dare I say, my best summer menu?

Bold statement, I know, but earlier this week I put up a poll in my Instagram stories and the responses confirmed a few things:

#1- We all have our go-tos, but when your go-tos get boring it’s nice to have some simple options to throw into the mix.

WE NEED LOW EFFORT OPTIONS

WE NEED SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

WE NEED QUICK COOK TIMES

So this week’s newsletter is covering exactly that. Plus the #1 rated recipe I’ve ever shared in these weekly newsletters (as voted by you).

Ignore the grocery list, or in this case lack thereof, I broke my cardinal rule of hitting the grocery store BEFORE my menu so I’ll be taking another trip.

But here is what’s cooking this week:

CHICKEN KABOBS (10-15 Minutes )

Whenever I’m in a “I don’t know what to cook for dinner” rut, my first stop is the butcher counter. I let the professionals do the heavy lifting so the only effort required on our part is manning the grill. I grabbed a few of these Kentucky Bourbon marinated chicken kabobs and am trying this Greek salad from the Wishbone Kitchen cookbook on the side.

MISSISSIPPI CHICKEN (Crock Pot )

Last week’s Crock Pot Monday was Italian beef and since we have some leftover french rolls, Mississippi Chicken is the perfect recipe to use some of the ingredients we’ve got on hand. When your schedules are the craziest, letting the crock pot cook dinner is such a nice treat. This also works really well as a make-ahead option you can reheat when time is on your side.

What You’ll Need:

• 4 large chicken breasts boneless skinless

• 12 pepperoncini peppers + 1/4 cup juice from the jar

• 1 (1 ounce) packet ranch seasoning mix

• 1 (1 ounce) packet au jus seasoning

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter ( *I actually omit this to make a little lighter)

THE RECIPE 🍽️: https://www.saltandlavender.com/mississippi-chicken/

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BUFFALO CHICKEN BURGERS (15 Minutes)

Burgers + summertime just makes sense, but these burgers aren’t your average burgers. No shame to the beef game, but this buffalo chicken variation offers a completely different spin. Packed with flavor and super quick to throw together with minimal effort, especially if you needed to skip the feta spread.

What You’ll Need:

• Buffalo Chicken Burgers

  • 1 lb. ground chicken

  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

  • 1/3 cup hot sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot)

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  Whipped Feta Spread

  • 6 ounces feta cheese (block or crumbles)

  • 4 ounces cream cheese

  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons water

  Extra Stuff

  • 2 tablespoons melted butter + 2 tablespoons hot sauce for brushing

  • Buns

  • Lettuce

THE RECIPE 🍽️: https://pinchofyum.com/buffalo-chicken-burgers-with-whipped-feta-spread

CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CREAMY LEMON ORZO (25 Minutes)

At this point, this recipe is part of my brand and I love that for us. When I asked “what’s your favorite thing to cook?”, there were at least 25 responses for this recipe. Glad it’s not just me- the one pan meals really are 👌🏻 and the flavor of this dish simply can’t be beat.

And my tip every time I share the recipe is to sprinkle a little feta on top once it comes out of the oven.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons butter (or use more olive oil)

• 1 shallot

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo

• 2 cups chicken broth

• Juice from 1 lemon

• 1/3 cup heavy cream or full fat coconut milk (*you could also omit altogether if need be)

• 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper

• Parsley and lemon wedges to serve

THE RECIPE 🍴: https://broccyourbody.com/one-skillet-crispy-chicken-thighs-creamy-lemon-garlic-orzo/

LAZY MAN’S PASTA ( 12ish Minutes )

AKA store bought sauce + a box of pasta.

Because sometimes life needs easy and this week is exactly that. Plus we don’t want leftovers to sit in the fridge if we’re not going to be around to eat them. Summer lemon marinara? This sauce was a random Whole Foods grab and I think with some grilled chicken dinner will be fabulous.

If this is one of your go-tos for an easy dinner, some small tweaks can take it from basic to brilliant.

GET THE GOOD CHEESE: add some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, maybe some burrata or even a dollop of ricotta for richness.

USE FRESH HERBS: Toss in chopped basil or parsley to brighten things up.

ADD PROTEIN: Want to make it feel more like a meal? Add grilled chicken, spicy sausage, or even roasted veggies. A splash of good olive oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes can go a long way too!

If you need one more recipe to add to your menu this week, the #1 response to my favorite dinner poll should come as no surprise. …