Pepita Crusted Cheddar Jack Southwest Chicken Mac Recipes

PEPITA CRUSTED CHEDDAR JACK SOUTHWEST CHICKEN MAC

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add dry elbow pasta to boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes or until al dente, drain and reserve.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add chicken, cilantro, salt, cumin, pepper and tomatoes; saute for 3 to 4 more minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
• In a separate large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Remove from heat and whisk in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Place back on medium-high heat, slowly whisk in milk and bring to a boil while continuously whisking. Reduce heat and stir in Cheddar, Monterey Jack, smoked Cheddar and cream cheese until melted and smooth.
• Stir in cooked elbow noodles and chicken mixture. Pour mac and cheese mixture into a greased 3 quart casserole dish. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and bread crumbs. Toss to coat and sprinkle crumbs and pepitas over top of mac and cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crumbs browned. Enjoy!

MAC AND JACK SALAD

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil, salt it and add pasta.
• While pasta water is coming up to a boil and cooking, combine corn, pepper, onion and celery in a bowl with pepper Jack cheese. Season the veggies with salt and pepper.
• Run pasta under cold water to cool it and drain it well. Add pasta to vegetables and cheese.
• Place vinegar in a small bowl and whisk in extra-virgin olive oil, then fold in salsa. Pour sauce over salad and toss to coat evenly. Garnish salad with cilantro or parsley and serve.

PEPITA CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH MEXICAN CORN CAKES

Steps:

• For chicken:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pound chicken breasts into 1/4-inch thickness. Place the eggs into a dish. The next dish mix flour, salt and pepper. In a third dish place pepitas and panko. Dip chicken into the eggs and then the flour mixture, back to the eggs and then into the pepita/panko mix to coat. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and place chicken on top. Bake for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• For corn cakes:
• In food processor mix 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half, 3 tablespoons melted butter, egg yolk and half the corn until smooth. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add remaining corn, onion, cilantro and jalapeno and set aside. In a separate bowl mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and gently mix. In a small bowl whisk egg white until slightly stiff peaks form. Fold whisked egg into other ingredients. In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, place 2 tablespoons oil. Drop batter by tablespoons into hot skillet making 8 cakes. Cook approximately 1 minute on each side or until browned.
• For mango sauce:
• In a food processor place the mango, white onion, cilantro, sugar, jalapeno and salt and process until smooth. Add chicken broth and place in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until bubbles form. Reduce heat to low and stir in half-and-half.
• To Serve:
• Place 1 chicken breast and 2 corn cakes on each plate. Drizzle with mango sauce and garnish with crumbled queso fresco.