by J.J.Morgan

Created on: January 14, 2009   Last Updated: December 01, 2011

Despite our daily good intentions, dinner is often the last thing on our everyday To Do lists. Yet a hot meal is something we all look forward to at day's end. For families with kids, it's absolutely essential. Five ingredients are all you need to satisfy a discerning palate and a hungry stomach each night. Using chicken as a staple in your freezer, enjoy the following five, global recipes any night of the week.

Mexican Chicken (4 servings)

2- boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut bite-sized
1- onion, chopped
1- package Lipton Spanish rice
2- cups shredded Mexican cheese
Bottled or home made salsa (optional)

Saute onion in well-oiled frying pan until translucent. Add chicken, brown 5-10 minutes, and drain. Cook Spanish rice following package directions. Stir cooked chicken and rice together and fold into well-oiled casserole dish. Sprinkle with Mexican cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until melted cheese is lightly browned. Serve hot with salsa on top.

Philippine Style Chicken Stew (4-6 servings)

1- package cut up chicken fryer, skinned
1- onion, chopped
4- garlic, peeled and chopped
2- chicken bouillon cubes
1- package pre-washed, trimmed green beans

Saute onion and garlic in large, well-oiled pot until fragrant. Salt and pepper chicken. Brown both sides, stirring occasionally. Add bouillon cubes and enough water to cover chicken. Simmer, covering partially with lid to allow steam to escape. Simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is soft. Add green beans and additional bouillon cubes to taste, if desired. Simmer 5-10 minutes more. Serve over hot rice.

Easy Italian Chicken Marsala (4 servings)

4- chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
1- package fresh, sliced mushrooms
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup Marsala wine
Flour

Lightly flour, salt and pepper chicken. Brown in large, well-oiled, frying pan. Remove chicken and keep warm. Melt butter in same pan. Add mushrooms. Simmer 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are half their size. Add Marsala wine, salt and pepper to taste. Let flavors simmer for another 2-3 minutes and place chicken back in sauce. Evenly coat chicken with sauce and allow to simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is well cooked. Serve over hot mostaccioli noodles.

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli (4 servings)

1- package chicken breasts, cut up
1- onion, sliced
4 garlic, peeled and sliced
1- head broccoli, washed and cut, stems discarded
1/2 cup- soy sauce

Saute onion and garlic in large, well-oiled frying pan until fragrant. Add chicken and cook, 10 minutes until insides are no longer pink. Add broccoli and soy sauce. Simmer an additional 5 minutes or until broccoli is semi-soft. Optional for thicker sauce: blend 1 tbsp cornstarch with water and add to pan, letting simmer until sauce thickens. Serve over rice

Easy American style Chicken Pot Pie (4 servings)

1- package chicken breasts, cut up
1- 10 3/4 oz. Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup
1- can sliced mushrooms, drained
1- frozen package mixed vegetables, thawed
2- Pillsbury frozen pie crusts, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one pie crust in bottom of glass pie pan. Set aside. Brown chicken in well-oiled pan. Drain and add remaining ingredients along with a 1/4 cup of water. Simmer for five minutes or until soup dissolves completely. Fold into pie pan. Do not overfill. Place remaining pie crust over contents of pan and crimp edges closed. Make 3 slits in the middle to allow steam to escape. Cover edges with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil during the last 15 minutes of baking. Serve hot.

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