Busy day? No problem! You can make this Easy White Chicken Chili in just 15 minutes! Yes, I’ve timed it. The secret is to use pre-cooked (or a rotisserie) chicken. Loaded with great northern beans and green chile, this is one hearty, flavorful meal. And, that’s exactly what you need when the temperature dips.

Easy White Chicken Chili

There are times in all of our lives when, despite the best of intentions, we’ve felt the rush of trying to get a meal on the table. Whenever I am facing both a tight schedule and a house full of hungry kids, I get creative. And, I usually start with one of my favorite recipes, to see if I can come up with shortcuts that work in less time.

That was how I came up with this easy white chicken chili recipe. My solution at the time was simply to grab a rotisserie chicken on the way home. Nowadays, I use my tried and true method for perfect cooked, shredded chicken ahead of time. So, it’s as easy as setting some out to thaw whenever I need it.

Simple White Chicken Chili

If you’re feeling the pinch of a day with too many things to do, treat yourself to an easy dinner like this simple white chicken chili. It’s a very rare day that I don’t have time to chop an onion, but I know people who hack that part of the recipe by just buying diced onions in the produce section. Either way, there’s hardly any prep time to speak of.

I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve made this meal, in all of its glorious variations over the past few years. It’s extremely flexible. If I don’t have enough great northern beans, I can swap in pintos. If I have some leftover cooked vegetables, I will often chop them up and toss them into the pot. I can’t really think of a wrong way to make this soup.

That said, you know me. I have to recommend at least a couple adaptations, so that you can make it truly

Is there anything more American than sitting down to a feast with multiple pounds of meat on the table for each person? Turkey leftovers are real. But, they aren’t a problem, at my house! We use it up in sandwiches, salads, and now the most incredible Turkey Quesadilla. Crispy edges, gooey cheese, tender meat… you know the drill.

Turkey Quesadilla

I can’t remember the first time I blogged a quesadilla. It was probably during the time when I was writing my first cookbook. Talk about being absolutely overwhelmed! Simple and easy lunches were what I survived on amidst the seemingly endless rounds of recipe development, photography days, and writing, writing, writing.

Today, I made a turkey quesadilla for lunch, but not because I was pressed for time. Now, quesadillas just feel like an easy treat. They’re ridiculously simple, since nailing down the process. Cheese and a tortilla with the fillings I want? Who says no to that kind of lunch? Not me. Not today, at least!

And, they make it so easy to use up your leftovers. Any time I have chicken or turkey or steak that didn’t get eaten on the first go round, I shove them into a grilled and gooey quesadilla for lunch. It turns what might otherwise be ordinary or lackluster “leftovers” from the fridge into a small joy.

Speaking of leftovers, I have been loving this winter salad, lately with all of its crunchy, seasonal veggies. All that texture made it the perfect accompaniment to a cheesy turkey quesadilla. And, because it has a vinaigrette dressing, the flavors are well balanced, too!

Turkey Quesadilla Recipe

I use shredded Monterey jack cheese in this turkey quesadilla recipe. And, I think the subtle flavors are perfect to let the turkey take center stage.

How cool is it that this quick chicken recipe is the easiest chicken we make, and it is also some of the tastiest chicken we make? Seasoned with plenty of terrific flavors and quickly cooked in any number of ways, this chicken is the weeknight main dish that the whole family enjoys.

The Fastest Way to Cook Chicken

You only need a few minutes to get this chicken ready to cook and you’ll be sitting down to eat just ten minutes later. The chicken is great on its own with a side of raw vegetables and ranch dip. It can also be sliced thin for sandwiches, or chopped bite-size for soups, salads, or pasta.

I’ve been making this chicken probably every other week for over 5 years now. And yes, it’s taken that long for me to share it here on the website.

The recipe is another favorite from The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook. However, I use the chicken in so many other recipes, I decided it was past time to share the original here.

Why make this chicken?

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The best green chile stew is loaded with bite-sized chunks of pork that are seasoned with onion and plenty of garlic. The pork is simmered in a green chile sauce until tender enough to almost fall apart when you bite it.

New Mexico Green Chile Stew

This is the ultimate comfort food.

Filled with that irresistible pork, potatoes, and roasted green chile, this stew is what I dream of when the weather starts cooling off each fall. And before any other native New Mexican can correct me, I am well aware of the ridiculousness of actually claiming the BEST NM Green Chile Stew, because technically, I do love them all.

That said, this is my family’s best green chile stew, and we love it more than all the others. Made with chunks of tender pork and potatoes, spicy hot green chile, and a savory broth that you’ll be dipping your tortillas into and scraping the bowl clean, this is it for me.

Green Chile Stew

Over the years, I’ve made Green Chile Stew with many different kinds of meat: pork, ground beef, steak, and chicken. However, this Green Chile Stew is hands-down our favorite.

Not that I won’t happily try YOUR green chile stew recipe if you send it to me! I don’t discriminate between green chile recipes. We love adding green chile to our enchiladas, burritos, tacos, soups, and scrambled egg skillets. If the dish includes green chile, my boys will dive straight into it.

This garlicky, orange shrimp packs a whole lot of awesome flavor with little more than some orange juice, fresh garlic, and a dash of spices.

Orange Shrimp

Orange garlic shrimp has been one of our favorite shrimp recipes for so long; I went years without making a different shrimp dish after I made it the first time about 15 years ago.

It seemed as if, whenever I bought shrimp, planning to try a new recipe, I would change my mind at the last minute and make this orange shrimp instead. It really is fantastic, and my entire family loves it. When they were younger, my kids would literally jump up and down with excitement when they saw this for dinner.

Served over this rice pilaf or with lemon butter pasta, this is a meal that we all enjoy. The shrimp also makes a mouthwatering appetizer, and I’ll admit it is the reason I haven’t ordered shrimp from a restaurant in years.

In the years since I first shared this here on the blog, I’ve learned to appreciate shrimp in countless other ways as well. However, we still return to this family favorite several times a year.

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