From Chaos to Dinner in 30

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage (finely chopped)
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 sweet potato (cubed)
• 1 lb brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved)
• ½ red onion (chopped)
• 4 slices bacon (chopped)
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with minced garlic, chopped thyme, rosemary, and sage. Add the chicken thighs to this mixture, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Let it marinate briefly while you prepare the vegetables.
3. On a large baking sheet, toss the cubed sweet potato, halved Brussels sprouts, and chopped red onion with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
4. Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the prepared vegetables on the baking sheet. Scatter the chopped bacon over everything.
5. Roast in the preheated oven for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F or 75°C) and the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized. The bacon should be crispy.
6. Serve directly from the pan.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ziti rigate, penne rigate or cavatappi (ribbed, hollow corkscrews)
• 1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 12 crimini mushrooms, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (10-ounce) sack, 2 1/2 cups, shredded Italian 4 cheese blend, available on dairy aisle
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco), optional
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, a couple of handfuls

Instructions

1. Cook your chosen pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain.
2. While the pasta cooks, brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet, breaking it up as it cooks, then set aside.
3. In the same skillet, add olive oil and butter. Sauté the chopped garlic and sliced mushrooms until softened and lightly browned, seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Stir the flour into the mushroom mixture and cook for two minutes, then gradually whisk in the chicken stock and heavy cream.
5. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then stir in 2 cups of the Italian cheese blend until melted. Add the drained diced tomatoes.
6. Return the cooked sausage to the skillet with the sauce. Stir in the cooked pasta and the remaining cheese blend, mixing until well combined.
7. Transfer the pasta mixture to a baking dish or serving platter. Top with the Parmesan cheese.
8. Broil for a few minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef skirt steak
• 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
• 2.5 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
• 2 teaspoons fajita seasoning
• 2 cups refried beans
• salt to taste
• lemon pepper to taste
• 4 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 cup corn oil
• 24 corn tortillas
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 0.33333334326744 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) package shredded American cheese
• 12 ounces sour cream
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 4 pickled jalapeno peppers, sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Season the beef skirt steak and chicken thighs with garlic powder and fajita seasoning, then cut them into bite-sized strips.
3. Gently warm the refried beans in a saucepan over low heat until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the mashed avocados with the remaining garlic powder, salt, and lemon pepper for a quick guacamole.
5. Heat 1 cup of corn oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the corn tortillas into quarters and fry them in batches until golden and crisp, then drain on paper towels.
6. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the seasoned beef, chicken, chopped onion, and bell pepper, cooking for about 7 minutes until the meats are cooked through. Stir in the chopped cilantro.
7. Arrange the fried tortilla triangles in a large baking dish, spread the warm refried beans evenly over them, and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
8. Top the beans and cheese with the cooked meat and vegetable mixture.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
10. Dollop spoonfuls of the prepared guacamole and sour cream over the top of the baked platter, then scatter with chopped tomatoes and sliced pickled jalapeños.

Ingredients

• 2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 5 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
• 2 ½ teaspoons black pepper (divided)
• 1 tablespoon McCormick® Poultry Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 8 cups water
• 1 small yellow onion (quartered)
• 1 medium carrot (roughly chopped, plus 2, sliced, divided)
• 1 stalk celery (roughly chopped, plus 2, sliced, divided)
• 1 bunch fresh parsley (stems and leaves separated, divided)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 teaspoons McCormick® Garlic Powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons schmaltz (reserved from chicken thighs)
• ¾ cup buttermilk

Instructions

1. Season chicken thighs generously with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, then sear chicken skin-side down until crispy, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes, then remove chicken and reserve rendered fat.
2. To the Dutch oven, add water, quartered onion, chopped carrot, chopped celery, and parsley stems. Return chicken thighs to the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove chicken from the pot, discard skin and bones, and shred the meat. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids.
4. In the now-empty Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of reserved chicken fat over medium heat. Add sliced carrots, sliced celery, minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons of flour, stirring to combine.
5. Gradually whisk in the reserved chicken stock. Stir in 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and garlic powder. Return shredded chicken to the pot, bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
6. While the stew simmers, prepare the dumplings: In a bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, baking powder, the remaining salt and pepper, and the reserved chicken fat. Mix with a fork, then stir in buttermilk until a dough forms. Knead briefly for 2 minutes.
7. Drop tablespoon-sized pieces of dumpling dough into the simmering stew. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
8. Ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley leaves.