Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo

I don't know many people that don't like Alfredo sauce.  It is the Queen Mother of comfort food sauces in my book.  Since I am currently obsessed with my Instant Pot and saw that people actually cook pasta in it, I had to give it a try.  What I did I get?  Some of the most absolutely delicious Chicken Alfredo I've ever eaten!

In true pressure cooker fashion it was done in no time flat, and only required one pot to wash!  #Winning.

1 Pound Cellentani Noodles
1.5 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
4 Teaspoons Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil
1 Tablespoon Wildtree California Style Garlic Pepper Blend
1/2 Cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (fresh, grated)
1/2 cup White Wine
6 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup Fat Free or 2% Milk
1 Cup Wildtree Alfredo Extraordinaire
Water

Drizzle Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil on both sides of Chicken.  Generously sprinkle California Style Garlic Pepper Blend on both sides.

Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode and add 2 teaspoons of Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil to the pan.  Once display reads "hot" add chicken breasts. Sear on both sides and remove from pan.

Deglaze pan with white wine, stirring until you get all the tasty bits off the bottom.  You want to cook as much liquid out as possible because once you are using pressure cooking mode it will not cook the alcohol out of the wine.

Place your trivet into the pressure cooker and add 2 cups of water.  Place the chicken on the trivet, close the lid, and set to manual mode for 7 minutes. 

Once done let the pressure come down naturally for 5 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.  Move chicken to a plate to rest after checking that it has come to a safe temp, which is 165 F.

add your pound of pasta and cover until it is just all barely under water.  Do not take out the water that was left from cooking the chicken.  It is going to add tons of flavor to your pasta!

Set the pressure cooker to manual for 5 minutes.  Carefully release the pressure a little at a time to make sure no foam comes up through your release valve.  Place pasta in a colander in case you have any extra liquid. 

Turn you pot back to saute mode and add butter and milk.  Stir to make sure you don't scorch it, and once the butter is melted turn the pot off.  Add the Wildtree Alfredo Extraordinaire and whisk until it is all incorporated.  Return Pasta to the Instant Pot and  add the Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Stir to combined.

Secure lid back on the Instant Pot.  Slice your perfect chicken however you'd like it.

Remove lid.  You can either just add the Chicken to the pot and mix to combined or place the chicken on top of each plate of pasta.  It is tender and juicy and the flavor is out of this world!  I didn't even add salt and I'm a salt fanatic.

If you'd like to try some of the Wildtree products they can be purchased here.  I'm sure you could find substitutes in the grocery store, but why would you want to do that?  Wildtree is organic and is a company with a conscious :)

Check out my Facebook page for more recipes!

Make Ahead Southwest Chicken or Turkey Burgers

I have a confession to make.  I am a huge food waster.  Like I'll go to the store, buy all this healthy stuff, have a complete week from hell and only end up making half of it because I am either to tired or stressed out to cook every night.

Enter these awesome make ahead meals, or freezer meals if you will.  I got a lot of good feedback on Facebook with the last one I posted, so this is one of my absolute favs.

What's really nice about this recipe is when I make the burgers I individually wrap them in parchment so I can just take a couple out.  The recipe makes four burgers, but when ground turkey or chicken go on sale I'll make 3 or 4 pounds worth and have them at my ready in the freezer. With the cost of food skyrocketing, this has most definitely saved me some big time money.

These burgers pack a punch in the flavor department, and you'd never know you are eating something healthy!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Chicken or healthier option: ground turkey
1 Tablespoon Wildtree Garlic Grapeseed Oil
2 Tablespoons Wildtree Fiesta Salsa Blend
1 Tablespoon Wildtree Rancher Steak Rub

Combine all ingredients in a freezer Ziploc and smush to blend. *Before freezing, you can shape meat into 4 patties, wrap in parchment and then freeze. Otherwise, the chicken is a little difficult to form into patties once thawed. I definitely recommend forming into patties before freezing.

 Freeze. 

When ready to serve, thaw bag in fridge. Heat 1 Tablespoon of Wildtree Garlic Grapeseed Oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. If using chicken where you didn’t pre-form the patties, spoon into the hot pan as the meat will be difficult to form into patties and pan fry or grill for about 5 min per side. If using turkey, form into patties and cook 5-6 min per side. Serve on buns with mayo or sour cream,  I like to add onions and tomatoes too :)

OPTIONAL: add provolone cheese slices during the last 3 min of cooking,

and melt by making an “aluminum foil tent” over the skillet. Serves 4.

Calories 280; Fat 19 g; Saturated Fat 0 g; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 21 g; Cholesterol 85 mg; Sodium 580 mg

The nutritional below reflect the recipe using extra lean ground turkey (no dark meat):

Calories 180; Fat 5 g; Saturated Fat 0 g; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 21 g; Cholesterol 45 mg; Sodium 570 mg

To order Wildtree products please visit http://www.mywildtree.com/kellycalton

Interested in joining a white hot business? Wildtree will have 65% of their products certified #glutenfree and 88% of their products certified #organic by the end of the year! Check out my FAQ's to learn more on how you can join this amazing business for $49.95! https://www.facebook.com/notes/wildtree-with-kelly-calton/faqs-on-joining-wildtree/583740365039229

Cheesy Bulgur Garlic Broccoli Chicken Bake

So my first foray into cooking at work with my cute little slow cooker was a raging success!  This recipe was absolutely delicious!  The air was filled with cheesy garlic goodness all morning and I looked on with pity to those that were eating a boring sandwich or greasy take-out.

Bulgur (or cracked wheat) has long been a favorite of mine.  A complex carb that is 100% whole wheat, bulgur  is a good source of fiber, protein, iron and vitamin B-6.   If you haven't tried it please do!  I sub rice with it all the time, and now when I do eat rice it seems so unsubstantial.

Cheesy Bulgur Garlic Broccoli Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

Chicken - marinate this for at least 2 hours or freeze in individual freezer bags and take out the night before :)  I buy a pound of chicken, cube it into nugget size, and make 4 pint sized bags for the freezer.

3 oz chicken - cubed

1/2 teaspoon Wildtree Garlic and Herb Blend

1/2 teaspoon Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

Sauce - I put these ingredients in first and stir.  It will not totally incorporate, but will work itself out while cooking

1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 cup Wildtree Kidz Cheese

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons Wildtree Vegetable Bouillon

The rest -  add this to your sauce mixture and give it a good stir

1/4 cup Bulgur Wheat

1 cup broccoli

After mixing your sauce and the rest of the ingredients, place chicken on top.  Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours, or on low for 3 hours and turn to high for 1 hour.  Both methods worked fine for me, so it depends on how much time you have before lunch.  Just be sure your chicken reaches 165 degrees :)  

I stirred everything together after 3 hours.

This was such a great lunch, and I ended up eating it for two days.  The bulgur is so filling I could not eat it all in one setting!

You may notice I use Wildtree products.  You most certainly can find replacements for them I'm sure, but since they use no gmo's, preservatives or artificial ingredients they are the way to go for me.  Oh, and I also sell them so with my demonstrator discount it's a no brainer for me :)

To order Wildtree products please visit http://www.mywildtree.com/kellycalton

Interested in joining a white hot business? Wildtree will have 65% of their products certified #glutenfree and 88% of their products certified #organic by the end of the year! Check out my FAQ's to learn more on how you can join this amazing business for $49.95! https://www.facebook.com/notes/wildtree-with-kelly-calton/faqs-on-joining-wildtree/583740365039229