This Healthy Banana Bread recipe checks all the right boxes! It’s moist, sweet, and whipped up in a matter of minutes with healthier ingredients. You might just have everything you need in your kitchen right now!

Satisfy your sweet tooth with more recipes like Peanut Butter Streusel Banana Bread, Blueberry Banana Bread and Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

This Healthy Banana Bread took me a few tries to perfect, but once I did there was no going back!

I believe that a good banana bread is like a good brownie. It needs no frosting, no glaze, no chocolate chips, no nuts, nothing. If it’s perfect banana bread, then that should be enough.

This is the only healthy Banana Bread recipe you need — it’s perfectly moist and needs no adornments (though you won’t see us judging if you add in chocolate chips!).

Why we love it:

• Super Easy: It’s made in one bowl with a whisk and no mixer. Plus, all of the ingredients are basic baking staples.
• Freezer Friendly: Scroll below for more info on how to freeze banana bread. This is one of my favorite treats to keep in my freezer for later!
• Scrumptious: There’s really no better word to describe it. This banana bread always turns out so moist, perfectly sweet and loaded with fresh banana flavor.

Ingredients Needed for Classic Banana Bread

• Bananas – You’ll need 3 bananas for this quick bread recipe. If you have any extras hanging around, use them to make some adorable Banana Split Trifles or see How to Freeze Bananas.
• Salt – Just a pinch of salt enhances the other flavors in the banana bread.
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder – Did you know that both of these ingredients have expiration dates? Use both within 6 months of opening so they’re potent and get the job done.
• Flours – You may notice that I use both whole wheat flour AND regular all-purpose flour. I love the texture that both flours create, and whole wheat flour adds a good amount of fibre. I make this recipe often with 100% whole wheat flour so that’s an option, too!
• Cinnamon – You can add an extra sprinkle to really warm up the flavor.
• Greek Yogurt – Be sure to use plain Greek yogurt with no additional flavors or sweeteners.
• Unsweetened Applesauce – This creates the most incredible moisture and adds natural sweetness in banana bread. And no, it won’t make it taste like apples!
• Eggs – These act as a binder for all of the other ingredients.
• Sugar – Be sure to measure with care! You don’t want to add too much or too little – either error will affect the flavor of the bread.
• Vanilla Extract – This is used to enhance the sweet flavor.

How to make Classic Banana Bread

Here’s a sneak peek at the step-by-step instructions! Scroll to the bottom of this page for more information and ingredient measurements.

• Mash the bananas (I love using a potato masher to do this!)
• Mix in the sugar, Greek yogurt and applesauce.

• Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.
• Add in the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until just combined.

• Add the flour into the batter and mix until combined.
• Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes.

Banana Bread Variations and Substitutions

• Make it 100% whole wheat: this healthy banana Bread already has a good amount of fibre, but I often make it with 100% whole wheat flour for extra fibre for my family! It turns out perfectly either way — simple swap the all purpose flour for whole wheat.
• Add chocolate chips: While I like banana bread all by itself, you may be craving some chocolate! Feel free to sprinkle in some dark, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Add a crunch: Stir in some walnuts to give the banana bread a delightful, soft crunch. Check out more info here – Banana Nut Bread.

How to Store Banana Bread:

Let the banana bread cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Allow to cool to room temperature prior to storing in an airtight container at room temperature. You can store individual slices or the whole loaf. Properly stored, this bread will stay fresh on your kitchen counter for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze healthy banana bread?

YES! This recipe is wonderfully freezer friendly.

Let the banana bread fully adjust to room temperature prior to storing in a freezer-safe container (or zip-top bag). You can freeze individual slices or the whole loaf – keep in mind that slices will defrost much faster.

If you’re freezing slices, use sheets of parchment paper to separate them so they don’t stick together.

You Might Also Like…

Calling all banana lovers! Check out more of my favorite banana recipes:

• Banana Pancakes — we love these for a weekend breakfast!
• Banana Cream Pie — pie is always a good idea.
• Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Cups — another make ahead and freezer friendly breakfast!
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins — these never last long here!

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Healthy Banana Bread recipe

This Healthy Banana Bread recipe checks all the right boxes! It's moist, sweet, and whipped up in a matter of minutes with healthier ingredients. You might just have everything you need in your kitchen right now! #banana #baking #recipe | easy recipes | baking recipes | healthy baking | breakfast ideas | banana recipes

Course Bread and Baked Goods

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 slices

Calories 155cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas
• ⅔ cup sugar (130g)
• ½ cup 0% plain Greek yogurt (114g)
• ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce (100g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour* (130g)
• 1 cup all purpose flour* (130g)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease an 8×4" or 9×5" loaf pan (a smaller loaf pan will need a little more time, and a larger pan will bake a little more quickly).
• In a large bowl, mash bananas with a whisk. Add sugar, yogurt and applesauce and whisk until combined and somewhat smooth.
• Add vanilla and eggs and stir until combined.
• Add baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and whisk until combined. Add flour and stir just until no white remains (don’t overmix)
• Spread in loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, (covering with foil when top is light golden brown), or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (up to about 1 hour).

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Yogurt and applesauce: if you are out of either yogurt or applesauce, I have successfully made this banana bread recipe using all yogurt and all applesauce. Simply swap one for the other. 

*Flour: be sure to measure your flour fluffed and levelled, or use a scale to weight it. You will need 260 grams total flour, and you can use half and half as the recipe calls for, or 2 cups all-purpose, or 2 cups whole wheat. 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 155cal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 191mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g

The post Healthy Banana Bread recipe appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup is thick, creamy, and loaded with vegetables and tender pieces of chicken! It’s made in one pot and topped with biscuits or pastry, making it the perfect cold weather comfort food.

Cozy up with more comforting chicken soup recipes like Chicken Dumpling Soup, Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup and Chicken Rice Soup.

This Chicken Pot Pie Soup recipe was an instant family favorite the first time I whipped it up, and for a few reasons!

The kids really love how thick and creamy it is. I love how easy it is to make and that it’s loaded with vegetables.

The best part? There’s only one pot to wash!

It stores perfectly in the fridge for a few days, so it’s perfect for making a big batch on the weekend to enjoy through the week — or make a double batch right away and pack up the rest for school lunches!

Essentially, it’s a deconstructed chicken pot pie that’s served in a soup form. It’s one of my favorite winter recipes. See how it’s made down below!

Why we love this Chicken Pot Pie Soup:

• One Pot: One pot soup recipes really help me get through the cold months. They’re so easy to make, even easier to clean, and comforting as can be.
• Kid Friendly: My kids gobble this soup up! I love serving it to them because it’s loaded with protein and veggies that even the pickiest of eaters don’t mind.
• Make Ahead: This is a wonderful make ahead soup recipe. Scroll down a little bit to see more detailed info on how to store this chicken pot pie soup for later.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup Ingredients Needed:

• Chicken Breast – Any boneless, skinless chicken will work great! Cooking them whole in the soup keeps them moist.
• Veggies – This recipe features the classic blend of vegetables you’d traditionally find in a pot pie – peas, carrots, celery and corn. Feel free to add to this list as you like.
• Onion – Use a white or yellow onion.
• Potatoes – Yukon gold potatoes work best as they are deliciously tender and buttery.
• Milk – Feel free to use any kind of milk you like best.
• Flour – All-purpose flour is used to create the roux that thickens the soup to the very best rich consistency.
• Butter – Unsalted butter is preferred.
• Chicken Broth – Just like with the butter, it’s best to use unsalted (or low-sodium) chicken broth. If you want more salt, you can always sprinkle some more in later.
• Garlic – Feel free to add a little extra if you’re a garlic lover!
• Seasonings – Create the very best flavor with parsley, thyme, and just a little salt and black pepper.

How to make Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Here’s a quick look at how to make the BEST chicken pot pie soup recipe! Scroll to the bottom of this page to see more detailed steps and ingredients.

• Sauté the carrots, celery and onions in a little bit of oil until softened.
• Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley.

• Add the broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure all of the brown bits are mixed in.
• Add the potatoes and chicken. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender.

• Whisk together flour and melted butter. Then, whisk in the milk and thicken in the microwave.
• Stir the veggies and roux into the pot. Shred the chicken and stir it all together.

Variations and Substitutions

• Use chicken thighs: You can use thighs instead of breasts, and there’s no need to change any other part of the recipe.
• Use leftover chicken or turkey: Simply skip the sautéing of the chicken and go right to the vegetables. Add your leftover cooked chicken or turkey in. This is perfect if you have leftovers from this Perfect Roast Chicken or you made a big batch of this Crockpot Shredded Chicken or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken that you have stashed in the fridge.
• Add other vegetables: Feel free to add other vegetables you need to get out of the fridge, or substitute the ones I use for other favorites. Keep in mind that some quick cooking vegetables should be added at the end (spinach, broccoli, green beans, etc), and others (peppers, cauliflower, mushrooms, root vegetables) take longer, so plan accordingly.
• Make it dairy free: Feel free to swap the milk with dairy free milk or cream for a creamy soup, or additional chicken broth.

How to Store Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken pot pie soup will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, just pop it in the microwave and zap it for 30 seconds at a time. Stir every time it stops to evenly distribute the heat.

Can I freeze chicken pot pie soup?

Yes, sort of! Just allow it to fully cool to room temperature prior to storing.

The texture of low fat dairy as well as potatoes does change when they are frozen, and it may not be appetizing to some people. For that reason, this is not my favorite soup to freeze.

If you’re not picky about food textures, then you can absolutely freeze this soup!

Once cooled, pour the soup into a large zip-top bag. Lay it flat on a baking sheet and let freeze for at least 1 hour – this will make it flat and easy to store in the freezer.

Chicken pot pie soup will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the fridge for a few hours prior to reheating.

Can I make it in the Crockpot?

Absolutely!

Most likely, I would add the carrots through to the chicken breast into the Crockpot and skip the sautéeing. You could also follow the original instructions to saute the vegetables before adding to the slow cooker.

Let cook on low for 4-6 hours, until the vegetables are tender, then shred the chicken, add in the frozen vegetables and the thickened milk.

Serving Suggestions:

You can always enjoy this soup just the way it is… Or, you could go the extra mile and serve it with some amazing toppings!

Here are just a few delicious options:

• Homemade biscuits (like my favorite Cheddar Bay Biscuits).
• These homemade Drop Dumplings for Soup.
• Crackers
• Pie Pastry (homemade or store bought) rolled out into rounds and baked flat on a baking sheet.
• Puff pastry rounds: cut refrigerated puff pastry into rounds or other shapes, and bake them off on a baking sheet until golden. If you have any leftover puff pastry, use it to make an actual Chicken Pot Pie!

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup is thick, creamy, and loaded with vegetables and tender pieces of chicken! It's made in one pot and topped with biscuits or pastry, making it the perfect cold weather comfort food.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 423cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 large carrots (peeled and diced)
• 1 rib celery (finely chopped)
• ½ medium onion (finely diced)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ¾ lb yukon gold potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes — cut into ½ inch pieces)
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
• ½ cup frozen corn
• ½ cup frozen peas

Roux:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups milk (any kind)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add oil to a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion and cook on medium heat, stirring often, until onions are translucent and vegetables are slightly softened.
• Stir in garlic, salt, parsley, thyme and pepper and cook 1 minute.
• Add broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to ensure any browned bits are removed.
• Stir in potatoes and nestle chicken breast down in the liquid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.
• Meanwhile, make your roux and thicken your milk. In a large glass bowl or measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave on high, 30-45 seconds at a time.
• Stir in the flour until completely absorbed.
• Whisk in the milk until smooth, using a scraper to get into the edges of the cup and ensure all of the flour has been whisked into the milk.
• Microwave on high in 45 second intervals, whisking each time, until thickened. 4 times at 45 seconds was perfect for me. Be sure to keep an eye on it in the microwave as it will bubble up — you need to use a bowl or cup with lots of room left at the top.
• When potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through (about 10-15 minutes), remove chicken breast and shred. Stir in the frozen peans, frozen corn and the thickened milk along with the shredded chicken.
• Let soup simmer on medium-low heat until heated through, then serve with biscuits or any of the options listed in the post above.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 457grams | Calories: 423cal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 745mg | Potassium: 984mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5782IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Chicken Pot Pie Soup appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

These Chicken Casserole Recipes are all so comforting, easy, and family friendly! Whether you’re headed to a potluck or you’re planning tonight’s dinner, there are plenty of amazing casserole recipes here to choose from.

We love a good casserole recipe – especially when it features chicken! Chicken is one of those ingredients that can be dressed up a million different ways and still be delicious. These casseroles are all so different and SO good!

I’ll be honest… it was a bit of a challenge to compile this list. It feels so definitive and I find a new chicken casserole recipe to obsess over all the time!

With that being said, the recipes all mentioned here were selected because (in my humble opinion) they truly are the very best.

So the next time you have some chicken sitting in your fridge and you’re not sure what to do with it, circle back to this page and let me give you some delicious ideas!

Using Leftover Chicken

Do you have some leftover chicken breast in the fridge you’re just not sure what to do with? Toss it in a casserole! Chicken casseroles are perfect for using leftover baked chicken breast, store-bought rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken.

Learn how to make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken and Crockpot Shredded Chicken to cut down on prep time!

Freezing Chicken Casseroles

Be sure to check and see if any of the recipes listed have more specific rules when it comes to freezing them! Here’s a quick rundown of tips to keep in mind when freezing chicken casseroles:

• In most cases, pasta casseroles and casseroles with cooked potatoes and veggies will freeze perfectly.
• Some veggies will soften a lot after freezing and reheating, so you have to keep that in mind if you’re prepping your casserole for the freezer! Peppers aren’t my favorite out of the freezer. If they’re featured in a soup or chili, it’s fine, but recipes with large chunks really highlight the change in texture.
• Potatoes and pasta will change in texture after freezing, so whether or not you want to freeze these are up to you. When cooking pasta to freeze, always be sure to undercook it slightly and thaw before reheating.
• Let your frozen casserole slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating. I usually will remove the casserole from the freezer and pop it in the fridge in the morning, that way it’s ready to bake by dinner time. That way it won’t require as much time in the oven and will reheat more evenly.

Making Chicken Casseroles Ahead of Time

It’s always nice to have a chicken casserole waiting for you in your fridge! While all of these recipes have slightly different storage and reheating instructions, here are a few rules of thumb:

• If you’re refrigerating a cooked casserole, allow it fully cool to room temperature prior to storing.
• Most chicken casseroles can be assembled up to the point of baking. Instead of placing the casserole in the oven, store it in the fridge and pop it in the oven when you’re ready. They’ll stay good in the fridge for a day or two.

Chicken Casserole Recipes

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This delicious Chicken Enchilada Casserole is made by layering juicy shredded chicken, homemade red enchilada sauce, corn tortillas, and loads of melty cheese!

Check out this recipe

Chicken Noodle Casserole

This Chicken Noodle Casserole is classic comfort food ready with just 15 minutes of prep! Tender egg noodles, veggies, and juicy bites of chicken baked in a rich cream sauce.

Check out this recipe

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

This Chicken Pot Pie Casserole is a completely made-from-scratch comfort food classic! It’s packed with veggies and tender bites of chicken then layered with a fluffy homemade biscuit topping.

Check out this recipe

Chicken Alfredo Bake

This Chicken Alfredo Bake is an easy meal-prep and freezer friendly dinner option! Tender pasta and chicken are tossed in homemade Alfredo sauce, topped with cheese, then baked until hot and gooey.

Check out this recipe

Healthier Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Bake

This Healthier Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Bake is a healthier version of a Pioneer Woman classic — homemade with no cream soups! It’s an easy make ahead and freezer friendly meal. Includes how to recipe video

Check out this recipe

7 Ingredient Chicken and Rice Bake

This easy Chicken and Rice Bake has just 7 ingredients and is so easy to customize! Get a healthy dinner on the table with minimal effort and maximum flavor.

Check out this recipe

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole (+Video)

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole is an easy, one dish dinner that’s a family favorite! Made with pantry staples- it’s filling, and delicious!

Check out this recipe

King Ranch Chicken Casserole (No Canned Soup)

This made from scratch King Ranch Chicken Casserole has layers of chicken, tortillas, cheese, and a creamy sauce, with NO canned soups!

Check out this recipe

Dorito Casserole

This cheesy dorito casserole is loaded with chicken, Nacho Cheese Doritos, and loads of cheese! My husband and kids love this one!

Check out this recipe

BBQ Ranch Chicken Casserole

Easy pasta casserole loaded with chicken, tomatoes, corn, red onion, and lots of cheese! This chicken, cheesy goodness is baked with BBQ ranch sauce.

Check out this recipe

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole

Jalapeno fans will love this Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole. It’s super creamy and in addition to bacon and chicken it also has pasta and lots of cheese.

Check out this recipe

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Chicken Parmesan Casserole features the flavors and textures of classic chicken parmesan, but with less work as it’s converted into a easy, satisfying casserole ready in just 35 minutes.

Check out this recipe

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Casserole Recipe

Easy Baked Teriyaki Chicken Casserole recipe is a ONE POT chicken dinner that’s family friendly. Just stir together the ingredients and bake! The perfect meal!

Check out this recipe

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

No one can resist this easy Buffalo Chicken Casserole made with layers of seasoned potatoes, chicken, cheese, and bacon.

Check out this recipe

Chicken Divan

The best Chicken Divan recipe has rice, broccoli, chicken and a creamy curry sauce. It’s a healthier version and your family will LOVE it!

Check out this recipe

The post 15 Chicken Casserole Recipes appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta recipe is a one-pot recipe for tender orzo tossed in a light and cheesy cream sauce. It’s simple to make and comes together in a total of 20 minutes!

Love orzo? Try this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, this Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Orzo recipe or one of The 10 Best Orzo Recipes!

This Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta recipe is a recipe you don’t want to miss!

Anything that has garlic and parmesan in it is bound to be good, right? Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew, Garlic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes, Pesto Parmesan Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Potatoes…Yeah. It’s a pretty killer combo.

Add pasta to the mix, especially orzo pasta, and you’ve pretty much reached the epitome of good food.

It’s a decadent side dish or vegetarian entree that’s fancy enough to be served for a dinner party but also quick and easy enough that you can whip it up for a simple weeknight dinner.

Just one pot, a few simple ingredients, 20 minutes, and it’s ready to go!

If you love simple pasta recipes, check out this Sun Dried Tomato Pasta and this Creamy Tomato Rigatoni Pasta, too! If you’re an orzo lover, or try this One Pan Tuscan Orzo with Chicken next.

What is orzo pasta?

Orzo is a small, oval-shaped pasta that resembles grains of rice. It can be cooked either like a pasta (boiled and then drained) or it can be cooked in the same way rice would be cooked (simmered in liquid until it’s fully absorbed.)

This creamy orzo pasta recipe utilizes the second cooking method. The orzo is simmered in broth until the liquid is absorbed, then cream and cheese are incorporated to create a light cream sauce. This method results in a creamy consistency very similar to risotto as the starch from the pasta mixes with the liquid to create a thicker, creamier base for the sauce.

Garlic Parmesan Orzo Recipe Ingredients

• Chicken Broth: I usually use low sodium chicken broth. If you use regular chicken broth, you may want to adjust the amount of salt you add so it’s not too salty.
• Dry Orzo Pasta: you can find orzo pasta at most grocery stores!
• Garlic: use fresh garlic for the best flavor. Garlic powder just isn’t the same!
• Salt and Black Pepper: thanks to the broth, garlic, and cheese, you don’t need much when it comes to seasonings. A simple duo of salt and black pepper is all you need!
• Cream: any kind will work! Use heavy cream for a richer flavor. Light cream will be a bit thinner but will still be delicious.
• Parmesan Cheese: freshly grated parmesan is the way to go. Pre-shredded cheeses contain an anti-caking agent which can cause a grainy texture.
• Parsley: I love to use a sprinkle of fresh parsley to add freshness and add a pop of color.

How to make this easy Orzo Pasta recipe

This orzo recipe is a quick and easy recipe that’s made in just one pot for super easy cleanup! Scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions.

1. Cook the pasta: In a skillet, combine broth, pasta, garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Make sure to stir often!
2. Finish and serve: Mix in cream, parmesan, and parsley then serve and enjoy!

Orzo Pasta FAQs

Is orzo pasta or rice?

While orzo is often mistaken for rice because of its small rice-like shape, it is in fact a pasta!

How is orzo different than pasta?

Orzo is simply a specific shape of pasta, although it differs from other cuts of pasta in the way that it is prepared.

Orzo can be cooked like pasta or it can be toasted in a dry pan before adding liquid to cook it. It can also be cooked using a similar method to risotto.

Can you use another pasta?

Yes! You can use any smaller pasta shape in this recipe and it should yield similar results. You can also substitute the orzo out for Arborio rice to get a similar consistency. Keep in mind the cook time will change, so make sure you cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, adding more liquid if necessary to cook the pasta.

Is orzo pasta healthier than rice?

The term “healthy” is relative these days, and what’s healthy for one person may not work for another. Orzo is a pasta and rice is a grain, so they bring different things to the table.

In a 140 gram serving, orzo has 316 calories and roughly 11 grams of protein.

In a 158 gram serving, long grain white rice has 205 calories but only 4 grams of protein.

How long will cooked orzo keep?

Cooked garlic parmesan orzo pasta will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, add a splash of broth or cream to thin and moisten and warm on the stove or in the microwave until fully warmed.

Can orzo recipes be frozen?

Yes! You can freeze this orzo pasta by packing it in an airtight container then storing it in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then warm on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of liquid to moisten.

Variations on this orzo recipe:

• Add veggies. You can mix in any cooked veggies you like to give this pasta dinner a boost of nutrition. Try it with peas, tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, you name it.
• Make it meaty. Fill out the meal by mixing in cooked chicken, sausage, or bacon.
• Spice it up. If you like your pasta with a kick of heat, try adding in red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
• Brighten it up. Add another layer of flavor with a splash of lemon juice.

Orzo Pasta Serving suggestions

This garlic parmesan orzo pasta makes a delicious vegetarian entree with a side of roasted vegetables or garlic bread.

It also makes the perfect side dish next to your favorite protein. Serve it with Slow Cooker Chicken Breast, baked tuscan chicken, or Instant Pot Whole Chicken!

More pasta recipes you’ll love

For more pasta inspiration, check out more of my easy pasta recipes. Here are a few of my favorites!

• Crockpot Lasagna
• Pesto Spinach Alfredo
• Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes

Dinner

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Dinner

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Dinner

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Casseroles

Rigatoni Pasta Bake

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Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta Recipe

This Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta is a one-pot recipe for tender orzo tossed in a light and cheesy cream sauce. It's simple to make and comes together in a total of 20 minutes!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, canadian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 279cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 2½ cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1½ cups dry orzo pasta (about 278 grams)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅓ cup cream (any kind — heavy cream will give richer flavor, light cream will be a bit thinner)
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Combine broth, pasta, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium skillet.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring often (you can cover or leave uncovered). Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked to your preference. (If you want to cook the pasta further but the liquid is gone, just add a splash more broth).
• Stir in cream, Parmesan and parsley. Serve.

Video

Notes

Storage:

Cooked garlic parmesan orzo pasta will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, add a splash of broth or cream to thin and moisten and warm on the stove or in the microwave until fully warmed.

You can also freeze this orzo pasta by packing it in an airtight container then storing it in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then warm on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of liquid to moisten.

Nutrition

Serving: 205grams | Calories: 279cal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 243IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta recipe appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This homemade Hamburger Helper recipe is a savory one-pot meal that’s better than the original boxed version! Made with tender elbow pasta, savory ground beef, cheese, tomato sauce, and veggies, it’s ready in 30 minutes or less and impossible to resist!

Cozy up with more comfort food recipes like Three Cheese Gnocchi Bake, One Pot BBQ Chicken and Bacon Pasta and Sausage Tortellini Soup.

Confession time: I can’t honestly remember the last time I purchased or prepared a box of Hamburger Helper.

It’s not that I never have—like most moms, I’m familiar with the beloved boxed pasta (it’s one of my childhood favorites!). But somewhere along the way, I discovered that it’s actually quite easy to make homemade hamburger helper.

My recipe for homemade Hamburger Helper is the only one you need for a number of reasons: it comes together in one pot, with real ingredients, in roughly the same amount of time. Since then, I haven’t looked back!

Why we love it:

• Healthier than store-bought: This homemade version is a one-pot meal made with healthy whole wheat pasta for added fiber, and wholesome veggies like red pepper and spinach.
• Kid-friendly: Everything all cooks down together in the cheesy sauce (hello, comfort food!), so picky eaters won’t even notice (it’s a family favorite here!).
• One pot: Those two magic words means that dinner will be easy to make and easy to clean up!
• Simple ingredients: This is a great clean-out-your-fridge recipe! It uses simple ingredients that you probably already have laying around.

Homemade Hamburger Helper ingredients:

• Lean Ground Beef: Since this is a one pot meal, I usually use lean ground beef. That helps keep the pasta from being greasy.
• Onion: Almost any beef dish is better with onion! You can dice up fresh onion, or if you’re short on time, sprinkle in about a tablespoon of onion powder.
• Red Pepper: Dice up a medium bell pepper. We use red, but any color is fine!
• Red Pepper Flakes: To add a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. You can put more in, if you want it to be spicier.
• Garlic or Garlic Powder: Again, you can use fresh minced garlic, or go with garlic powder if you prefer. Use about ⅓ teaspoon for each clove of garlic.
• Salt and Pepper: I prefer to use red pepper flakes as opposed to black pepper, but you can use both if you prefer.
• Italian Seasoning: Store-bought Italian seasoning blend adds lots of flavor to the dish!
• Spinach: For frozen spinach, thaw it and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. For fresh spinach, just chop it finely. You can omit if you want but I promise no one will know it’s there!
• Beef Broth: The dish will be cooked in a mixture of broth and milk; I use beef broth, but vegetable broth and chicken broth would both work, as well.
• Milk: any kind of dairy or non-dairy milk will work. Higher fat dairy will yield a richer flavor.
• Pasta: Our favorite pasta for this recipe is elbow pasta, but basically any small shape would be good. Penne, farfalle (bowties), and fusilli are all good hamburger-helper-style shapes — just keep in mind the cook time may vary.
• Tomato Sauce: You can use plain tomato sauce, strained tomatoes, or pasta sauce, whatever you have.
• Cheese: To make this a cheesy, comforting meal, you’ll need plenty of shredded cheese! Try mozzarella, colby, cheddar, or any other melting cheese that you like. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired

How to make Hamburger Helper

Let’s take a quick look at how to make homemade hamburger helper! Find the detailed recipe down in the recipe card.

• Cook the ground beef, red bell peppers and onions.
• Mix in the seasonings, garlic and spinach.

• Pour in the milk, broth, noodles and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for 12-15 minutes.
• Stir in the cheese.

Variations and Substitutions

• Change the veggies. Feel free to swap out the veggies for others your family enjoys, like mushrooms, shredded carrots, zucchini, or anything else you have taking up space in the fridge. Also, shredded vegetables cooked down in the ground beef are a great way to get more vegetables into your diet.
• Use your preferred pasta. I use high fiber whole wheat pasta, but really any variety of wheat pasta works fine. If you are using gluten-free or alternative pastas, you may want to reduce the amount of liquid, or add more, depending on the type of pasta.
• Make it dairy-free. Swap dairy-free milk and dairy-free cheese for the whole milk and shredded cheese. Or simply make the recipe with no milk, substituting additional broth, and leave out the cheese altogether!
• Make it vegetarian. Swap out the beef broth for vegetable broth, and vegetarian crumbles, chickpeas, or simply extra veggies instead of the meat.
• Use another meat. Ground turkey, ground chicken, or even ground sausage all work well.
• Make it creamy. Stir in some sour cream or plain yogurt for an extra creamy pasta.
• Spice it up! Splash in some hot sauce or sriracha.

How to Store Homemade Hamburger Helper

Leftover Hamburger Helper will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container.

Add a splash of milk, water or broth and reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.

Can I freeze hamburger helper?

Yes! To freeze homemade hamburger helper, spread the cooked pasta into a foil or freezer-safe baking dish, and cover with a layer of plastic wrap and then a lid or a layer of tin foil. The plastic wrap helps prevent freezer burn (thanks Grandma, for that trick!).

To reheat frozen hamburger helper, uncover the dish, remove the layer of plastic wrap, and then replace the layer of foil. Bake the dish at 350°F for about one hour, removing the foil at about the 40 minute mark, to allow the cheese to brown somewhat.

Freezing Note: If you’re planning to freeze and reheat pasta, you can slightly undercook the pasta before freezing. That way, when you reheat it, it won’t turn out mushy.

Reheating Note: if you’re moving a glass dish from the freezer to the oven, it’s a good idea to let the dish sit out at room temperature for a couple hours beforehand to warm slightly. You may not have to cook it as long.

Serving suggestions:

You can serve this pasta all on its own! It truly is a meal all in one pot! However, if you’d like to add a few side dishes, these are some great, easy options:

• Broccoli Salad: If you don’t think you like broccoli, try this recipe—I promise it will change your mind! Classic Broccoli Salad is sweet, tangy, crunchy, and fresh, with bacon and cheddar for extra yumminess.
• Creamed Corn: Sweet, Homemade Creamed Corn is a side dish that my kids devour! It’s a fresh, crisp-tender veggie option that’s always a welcome addition to the meal.
• Glazed Carrots: My simple Honey Orange Glazed Carrots are another kid-friendly side dish, made from scratch and lightly sweet.

More one pot pasta recipes!

• Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Orzo recipe — a fabulous side or meatless main dish.
• Three Cheese Gnocchi Bake — the cheesier, the better!
• Creamy Gemelli Pasta recipe — simple and satisfying.
• Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage — sausage adds so much flavor!
• Cajun Chicken Pasta — just the right amount of kick!

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Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe – easy one pot pasta!

This Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper is a savory, one-pot meal that's better than the original! Made with tender elbow pasta, savory ground beef, cheese, tomato sauce, and veggies, it's ready in 30 minutes or less!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 474cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• ½ medium onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, if you like it spicy!)
• ¼ cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or 1 cup fresh, chopped fine) optional
• 1 ¾ cup milk
• 1 ½ cup beef broth (low sodium)
• 2 ¾ cups dry uncooked macaroni (1 375g box)
• 1 ½ cups tomato or pasta sauce
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• To a large pot add beef, onion, and peppers and cook until vegetables are softened. pepper flakes, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning and spinach. Cook over medium high heat until beef is browned.
• Add garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, mustard red pepper flakes, and spinach. Cook 1-2 minutes to wake up the flavors.
• Add in milk, broth, macaroni and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 12-15 minutes, stirring often.
• Stir in 1 cup of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

**NOTE: Nutrition information is estimated and will vary depending on exact serving size, types and brands of products used.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Ground Beef: feel free to swap the beef for ground chicken, pork or turkey. I use lean ground beef so there is not much fat to drain, but if you are using regular ground beef you may want to drain the fat after browning.
• Vegetables: you can swap the peppers and spinach for other vegetables you have hanging around: finely chopped mushrooms, shredded carrots or zucchini, finely chopped kale — once it all cooks down the flavor melds together and you won’t really notice!
• Broth: I use low sodium beef broth so I can control the salt. If you have regular broth you may want to reduce the added salt and adjust as needed. Vegetable and chicken broth may also be substituted.
• Milk: I use low fat milk, but any will do here! Non-dairy milk works just as well.
• Macaroni: any short pasta will work here, but they may require different cook times or amounts of liquid. If you notice the liquid is mostly absorbed but the pasta is not cooked, just add a splash here and there and continue cooking until the pasta is al dente.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 347grams | Calories: 474cal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1166mg | Potassium: 836mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2073IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 293mg | Iron: 5mg

More one pot pastas you’ll love!

• Healthy One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
• One Pot Baked Ziti
• One Pot Chicken Chow Mein

The post BEST Hamburger Helper Recipe appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

Marry Me Chicken features golden chicken breasts simmered in a medley of bold ingredients like bacon, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and more! This one pan chicken recipe is served smothered in a creamy sauce that’s so good, you may just hear wedding bells.

Enjoy more easy chicken breast recipes like Crockpot Tuscan Chicken, Baked Monterey Chicken and Chicken Caprese Skillet.

Marry me chicken is so worth the hype! This is one of those tried and true chicken recipes that everyone swears by, and there are so many reasons why it’s beloved.

And yes… Just as the name suggests, it’s been said that it’s so good that your meal might just end with a proposal.

It’s easy, creamy, filling, flavorful, and made all in one pan. This marry me chicken recipe checks all of the right boxes!

Why we love it:

• One pan dinner: Easy to make and even easier to clean up. That’s two big wins in my kitchen!
• So creamy: Thanks to the heavy cream that gets stirred in at the end, this chicken recipe is delightfully creamy.
• Flavorful: Oh yes. There are a lot of ingredients that’ll make your mouth water! Garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, bacon and more create a medley of seriously satisfying flavors.
• Versatile: There are quite a few ways to customize this recipe to best fit your tastes. Scroll down to check out some of my recommended variations to try.

Marry Me Chicken Ingredients:

• Chicken Breasts: You can swap these with thighs if you’d like.
• Chicken Broth: I recommend using low-sodium broth and sprinkling in more salt as needed.
• Cream: Heavy cream is recommended for the thickest, creamiest results! A lighter cream may be used but the final results won’t be as creamy.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Make sure to drain them well prior to chopping and using.
• Tomato Paste: This enhances the tomato flavor in a wonderful way!
• Cornstarch: This is used to thicken the sauce.
• Bacon: This adds a great savory and salty flavor to the dish. Feel free to omit or swap with pancetta or turkey bacon if preferred.
• Onion: A white or yellow onion both work very well.
• Garlic: Feel free to measure with your heart!
• Seasonings: Add the best flavor to your marry me chicken with red pepper flakes, salt, parsley, oregano and thyme. Adjust as needed.

How to make Marry Me Chicken:

Here’s a quick look at how to make this marry me chicken recipe! Scroll to the bottom of this page for detailed ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

• Flatten the chicken just enough so that each breast has an even thickness.
• Season and sear the chicken until golden on each side.

• Sauté the bacon and onions.
• Stir in the garlic, herbs and seasonings.

• Stir in the tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Stir in the flour (or cornstarch slurry). Whisk in the broth and heavy cream, reduce the heat, and add the chicken back in.
• Cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Variations and Substitutions

• Swap the flour. This can easily be swapped with corn starch if that’s what you have on hand. Just whisk it into an equal portion of liquid before stirring it in.
• Use chicken thighs. If you choose to use thighs instead of breasts, just make sure they’re boneless and skinless.
• No bacon? No problem. You can omit this ingredient entirely if you’d like. It adds an amazing flavor, but you don’t need to use it if you don’t want to. Or, swap it with turkey bacon!
• Turn up the heat. I add just enough red pepper flakes to create flavor without making it spicy. Feel free to kick things up a notch by adding more red pepper flakes.

How to Store Marry Me Chicken

If you have any leftovers, you’re in luck! Marry me chicken keeps very well in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Just make sure it’s in an airtight container.

You can reheat your chicken with a splash of broth or water in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until warmed through. Try to be careful so you don’t scald the creamy sauce.

Can I freeze Marry Me Chicken?

Sure thing! Let the sauce and chicken all fully cool to room temperature prior to storing in an airtight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to date and label! Let the chicken slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating.

How can I thicken the sauce?

If you notice that your sauce is on the thinner side, have no fear! You can always create a slurry (cornstarch and broth) and stir in a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

What to serve with Marry Me Chicken:

Serve marry me chicken over something hearty that’ll help you soak up every last drop of that delicious sun-dried tomato cream sauce! Buttered Noodles, Baked Rice, or mashed potatoes are all popular choices. I also like to lighten up my plate with a veggie side dish like air fryer broccoli.

More chicken dinner recipes!

• Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts — perfect over pasta!
• Baked Tuscan Chicken Breasts — no standing over the oven.
• JUICY Air Fryer Chicken Breast — SO easy and flavorful!
• Creamy Garlic Chicken — totally decadent and garlicky!

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Marry Me Chicken recipe

Marry Me Chicken features golden chicken breasts simmered in a medley of bold ingredients like bacon, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and more! This one pan chicken recipe is served smothered in a creamy sauce that's so good, you may just hear wedding bells.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 430cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 lb)
• salt and pepper
• 2 slices thick cut bacon (chopped)
• ½ medium onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (drained and chopped)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• parmesan and fresh parsley for serving (optional)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
• Place chicken breasts on a large cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and flatten the thicker end slightly so they are an even width).
• Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper and sear on both sides until light golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
• Add bacon to the pan and cook until starting to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and cook until translucent and starting to brown.
• Stir in garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, red pepper flakes and salt and cook 1 minute. Add sun dried tomatoes and tomato paste and cook 1 more minute.
• Stir in the flour until absorbed. Whisk in broth and cream and reduce heat to medium.
• Add the chicken back in, cover and cook until an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 10-12 minutes.
• Serve over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Chicken: feel free to swap the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. 

Bacon and onion: you can omit one or both of these, but they add significant flavor to the base of our sauce. 

Herbs and seasonings: feel free to experiment with the herbs you have around the house, and swap in fresh herbs if they’re in season. Kick things up a notch by increasing the red chili flakes if that’s your style.

Flour: flour thickens our sauce. If you need a gluten-free alternative, you can whisk together one tablespoon of corn starch and one tablespoon of broth and stir that into the sauce.

Broth: I always choose low sodium broth. If you are using salted broth, you may want to reduce the added salt and season at the end before serving.

Heavy cream: heavy cream thickens and reduces nicely, adding richness to the sauce. If you use a lighter cream, you can expect a thinner sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 191grams | Calories: 430cal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 836IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Marry Me Chicken appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

New to the air fryer recipes? Check out my Best Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners or my 50 Best Air Fryer Recipes post!

The Air Fryer has quickly become one of our favorite way to cook certain things, and chicken is definitely one of them.

Spoiler: this Air Fryer Chicken Breast is outstanding.

I started with a simple seasoning based on this Slow Cooker Chicken Breast and these Pan Fried Chicken Breasts — when you’ve got a good thing going, why change it?!

They turn out perfectly every time, and are almost completely hands off (other than a couple minutes prep!).

Love a crispy coating? You might want to try these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders or Air Fryer Fried Chicken!

I’m sharing all my tips and tricks below to make sure your air fryer chicken turns out just the way you want it!

Why we love to cook chicken breasts in the air fryer:

• I mean, they’re perfect: they come out with the perfect combination of golden on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside!
• Less babysitting: I don’t have to worry about them burning, or sticking, or overcooking like I do when I’m cooking them in a skillet.
• You don’t have to heat up the oven: while I love my Baked Chicken Breasts, you do need to turn on the oven. In the summer time, why not air fry them instead? It’s more energy efficient and they cook up super quick!
• They’re great for meal prep: whether you just want some cooked chicken for sandwiches, salads, or easy lunches, they’re easy enough that you can make a batch on the weekend and enjoy them over the next few days.

How long do I cook chicken breast in the air fryer?

Well, it depends!

It depends on your air fryer temperature and how thick your chicken breasts are.

I like to cook my chicken breasts for a shorter time at a higher temperature, so I opt for 400 degrees F for a cook time of 10-15 minutes.

The exact cook time is hard to tell, and will depend on the size and shape of your chicken breast.

For better results, you can use a heavy rolling pin or flat meat mallet to flatten any thicker parts of your chicken breasts so that they cook more evenly — although I don’t usually go through this extra step.

And always be sure to check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer to ensure it reaches 165 degrees F.

Is air fryer chicken healthy?

Air fryer Chicken Breasts aren’t really any healthier than chicken breasts that are cooked with the same ingredients on the stove top, in the oven, or in the slow cooker.

The air fryer is a healthier method than deep frying food, so this air fryer chicken breast is healthier than deep fried chicken, but that’s not really an equal comparison.

That being said, chicken breasts are still a lean protein option, and we love cooking them in the air fryer because they are the juiciest we’ve ever had! (Check out this photo taken right after I sliced them!)

Variations on this Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe:

• Swap breasts for thighs: you can swap boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts in the recipe and you won’t need to change the recipe much — I would set your air fryer timer for 8 minutes and then check for doneness with a meat thermometer, as they are usually smaller than chicken breasts. (I also recommend checking out this Air Fryer Chicken Thighs recipe!)
• Swap the seasoning: have a go-to seasoning blend of spices you love? It will work perfectly here! Think garlic herb, cajun, barbecue, taco, Greek — any dry blend can be substituted. Just sprinkle on both sides evenly before cooking.

What to serve with this air fryer chicken breast:

This chicken breast is a versatile protein that goes with so many things!

Slice it to top a Caesar salad, stir it into your favorite pasta or Buttered Noodles, or serve with some of our favorite sides:

• Lyonnaise Potatoes — with caramelized onions!
• Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
• Homemade Mac and Cheese — made in one pot!
• Roasted Potatoes and Carrots — a reader favorite!

Leftover Air Fryer Chicken Breasts? Use it in these recipes!

• Stir some into this Veggie Lo Mein
• Use it in this Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Swap your leftover chicken for the ham in this Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes recipe

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Air Fryer Chicken Breast

This Air Fryer Chicken Breast is perfectly seasoned and incredibly juicy! It is golden and crispy on the outside and SO flavorful!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 194cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

• Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees according to manufacturer's instructions if your air fryer requires preheating (I simply turn mine to 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes while I prepare the chicken)
• Pat chicken dry and rub with canola oil.
• In a small bowl, combine salt, parsley, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Sprinkle over both sides of the chicken.
• Lightly spray the inside of the air fryer basket with non stick spray and place the chicken breasts in the bottom.
• Place the basket inside the air fryer and set the cook time for 12 minutes (a couple minutes more or less depending on the size of your chicken breasts — keeping in mind you can always easily add more time but you can't take it away).
• At the end of the cook time, check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached 165 degrees F. If it has not, return it to the air fryer for 2-3 minutes until cooked through.
• Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 194cal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 713mg | Potassium: 418mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

The post JUICY Air Fryer Chicken Breast appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is better than Olive Garden! Loaded with tender chicken, chunks of vegetables, and spinach in a creamy, flavorful broth, it’s made in 30 minutes!

See the step by step recipe video down in the recipe card.

Looking for more chicken soup recipes? Try this Ramen Noodle Soup, this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup or this Chicken Dumpling Soup!

Everyone loves Olive Garden, right?

There is just something so comforting about rich, creamy pastas, fresh-from-the-oven breadsticks (although I think my Homemade Breadsticks are better!) and a cozy bowl of soup!

Now, I love them all: the Zuppa Toscana (see my Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana here), the Minestrone (see my Minestrone soup here), the Pasta e Fagioli — but a good chunky, creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup will always have my heart.

The thing is, the last couple times I’ve been there I’ve just been so disappointed in what Olive Garden is calling “Chicken Gnocchi Soup” these days — I feel like a more accurate name would be “Thin Creamy Broth with One Carrot, One Piece of Spinach and Two Gnocchi’.

It doesn’t have the same ring, does it?

Love gnocchi? You might also like this Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup, this Three Cheese Gnocchi Bake and this Baked Gnocchi with Sausage!

What is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi is a small, oval-shaped potato dumpling that is similar in texture to pasta (maybe a little softer).

Gnocchi is used in many pasta-type recipes, and pairs well in soups and with lots of different sauces due to its neutral flavor. It is comfort food to the max!

Why my Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe is better than Olive Garden:

Instead of the thin, disappointing Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup, in this soup you’ll get plenty of:

• flavor! All those veggies add a ton of it
• tender shredded chicken — that cooks right in the soup, making it tender and lending more flavor to the broth! (If you’ve got some of this Crockpot Shredded Chicken or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken kicking around, feel free to use that instead!)
• pillowy soft gnocchi
• and enough creamy broth to soak up with some crusty No Knead Artisan Bread

Chicken Gnocchi Soup Ingredients:

This easy chicken soup requires just a few ingredients and most you probably already have on hand! See my full list below.

• Oil: ay neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point will work.
• Onion, celery and carrot: this trio forms a classic mirepoix which is the base for many soup recipes, adding lots of flavor and nutrients!
• Parsley, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper: simple seasonings that go a long way! For best flavor, mince your own garlic cloves before adding to the soup.
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: I use chicken breasts because that’s what we prefer, however boneless skinless chicken thighs also work perfectly! Instead of 2 breasts, use 4 thighs. If you have leftover Perfect Roast Chicken or Baked Chicken Breasts, this is a great time to use them!
• Low sodium chicken broth: I prefer to add salt to our tastes rather than start with a salted broth. For that reason, I recommend tasting the soup before serving and adjusting the seasonings as you desire.
• Heavy cream and corn starch: will give this Chicken Gnocchi Soup a rich and creamy texture without being overly thick.
• Potato gnocchi: I use shelf-stable potato gnocchi found in the pasta aisle — feel free to experiment with different types of gnocchi!
• Fresh spinach: fresh spinach adds color and nutrients! You can omit if needed, or swap in frozen spinach or kale instead.
• Parmesan cheese: adds a bunch of salty, cheesy flavor!

How to make Chicken Gnocchi Soup:

This soup is so simple to make, and I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to make it even easier. Find the complete recipe in the recipe card below!

1. Saute your onion, celery and carrots in a great big dutch oven or soup pot
2. Add your spices and seasonings — cooking them first in the dry pot wakes up their flavor!
3. Add your broth, raw chicken breasts or thighs (you read that right!), and other vegetables — I use a bag of matchstick carrots to make this even easier.
4. Cook it until the chicken and vegetables are tender, then remove the chicken to shread and stir in some cream, gnocchi, spinach and a big sprinkling of Parmesan — let it cook just until the gnocchi is tender. Taste and serve!

How to make Crockpot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup:

This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is also easy to make in the slow cooker if you need to plan ahead!

See my Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe here for all the tips and tricks you need.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup storage:

One of the great things about this soup is it makes great leftovers! The flavor continues to develop as it sits so it’s perfect for making ahead.

In the refrigerator:

You can store this soup in the refrigerator up to 4 days in an airtight container.

In the freezer:

You can freeze this soup in freezer safe containers (I prefer to freeze mine in large freezer bags, frozen flat, so that it thaws quickly!), leaving an inch or two of space in the container at the top.

Freeze up to 3 months.

To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or in a pot on the stovetop on low.

Serving Suggestions:

While I don’t actually need to serve anything alongside this Chicken Gnocchi Soup, I sure do love to have some Homemade Dinner Rolls or a piece of Garlic Bread for dunking (bonus points if it’s Cheesy Garlic Bread!).

More hearty soup recipes you’ll love!

• Cheeseburger Soup
• Crockpot Potato Soup
• Beef and Barley Soup
• Chicken Rice Soup: Stove Top or Slow Cooker

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Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is better than Olive Garden! Loaded with tender chicken, chunks of vegetables, spinach in a creamy, flavorful broth – don't forget the crusty bread!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 444.68cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• ½ medium onion finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery finely chopped
• 1 cup carrot matchsticks (or finely chopped carrots)
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 3 cups small gnocchi (500g)
• 1 ½ cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add oil and cook onion, celery and carrots over medium-high heat until slightly softened.
• Add parsley, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and stir.
• Add broth and chicken breasts and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 12-15 minutes.
• Remove chicken breasts to a cutting board to shred. Whisk together cream and corn starch and stir into the soup with the gnocchi. Let simmer for 4-5 minutes until gnocchi is tender and soup is slightly thickened.
• Stir in shredded chicken, spinach and Parmesan. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Chicken Breasts: I use chicken breasts because that’s what we prefer, however boneless skinless chicken thighs also work perfectly! Instead of 2 breasts, use 4 thighs. If you have leftover Roast Chicken, Baked Chicken Breasts, or Shredded Chicken, this is a great time to use them!

Low sodium chicken broth: I prefer to add salt to our tastes rather than start with a salted broth. For that reason, I recommend tasting the soup before serving and adjusting the seasonings as you desire.

Vegetables: I start most soups with a classic mirepoix (carrots, celery and onion) and I would try not to stray from that, but feel free to add in additional vegetables that you need to get out of the fridge!

Nutrition

Serving: 310grams | Calories: 444.68cal | Carbohydrates: 50.02g | Protein: 18.69g | Fat: 19.83g | Saturated Fat: 8.9g | Cholesterol: 68.53mg | Sodium: 792.79mg | Potassium: 455.15mg | Fiber: 3.86g | Sugar: 1.96g | Vitamin A: 4811.76IU | Vitamin C: 5.35mg | Calcium: 119.29mg | Iron: 5.14mg

The post Chicken Gnocchi Soup appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This Easy Lasagna recipe is made with oven ready lasagna noodles, jarred tomato sauce and a couple special ingredients that bring LOADS of flavor! Includes step by step recipe video so you can make this simple lasagna at home.

Do you love lasagna as much as we do? Try these Lasagna Roll Ups, this Crockpot Lasagna Soup or this Chocolate Lasagna for dessert!

Sharing this Easy Lasagna recipe here on The Recipe Rebel, I’ll admit, is mostly for me.

That’s right.

I occasionally have purely selfish motives here (and my motives are almost entirely selfish when cheesy pasta is involved ).

The thing is, I realized one day that lasagna is one of those easy dinner ideas I hadn’t yet mastered, because I never use a recipe.

So I have made some amazing lasagna, and I have made some dry lasagnas, and I have made some soupy lasagnas, and I struggled to get consistent results.

I figured the only thing to do was to come up with The Perfect Easy Lasagna Recipe to share here, and that would force me to actually get in my kitchen and figure out the best ratios of sauce to pasta to cheese and then we would all be making amazing lasagnas forevermore.

Just don’t forget the Cheesy Garlic Bread!

What is authentic lasagna?

All I have to say to this is: who’s to say?

Even in Italy, there are so many variations of a classic lasagna recipe depending on where you live, that I don’t know if we can really claim there’s one right way.

Some Lasagnas have a layer of ricotta, cheese and egg mixture layered with meat sauce.

Some Lasagna recipes have cottage cheese (I feel like this is a Canadian prairies thing, but I could be wrong).

Some Lasagna recipes have a layer of bechamel sauce rather than ricotta or cottage cheese.

So this is my interpretation of the best lasagna recipe, and I think it’s pretty delicious! I’d love to hear which way you prefer it in the comments.

Easy Lasagna Ingredients:

• Ground Beef: I choose to use lean ground beef so there is little fat to drain. If you are using regular ground beef, you may want to drain the fat before continuing. Feel free to swap this out with ground turkey, chicken or pork.
• Italian Sausage: Italian sausage is a must here (in my opinion!) because it adds so much flavor without having to add a bunch of different spices. If you swap it out, you’ll want to make sure to compensate by adding additional seasonings.
• Onion: adds depth of flavor that can’t be missed!
• Garlic: opt for freshly minced garlic for the best flavor, but pre-minced works in a pinch.
• Salt and Italian Seasoning: because the sausage adds so much flavor, I keep the rest of our seasonings pretty basic. If you like extra kick, you can add a ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes as well.
• Tomato Pasta Sauce: a simple marinara sauce or similar tomato sauce works great here! Keep in mind the more flavor your sauce has, the more it will add to the lasagna.
• Water: a little bit of water added to our sauce ensures that our lasagna doesn’t get dry as our noodles cook.
• Ricotta cheese: I use Ricotta cheese in this lasagna — you don’t notice the texture and it adds a deliciously mild, creamy flavor.
• Frozen Spinach: I prefer to use frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, because it is already shrunk down considerably and it’s easy to mix into the filling. You can substitute with fresh, finely chopped spinach if you prefer.
• Cream: keeps our Ricotta filling from becoming dry.
• Egg: binds our Ricotta filling to keep it in place.
• Parmesan cheese: adds the best salty, cheesy flavor.
• Mozzarella cheese: a must have! In our cheese filling and a solid layer on top.
• Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles: I love using oven ready lasagna noodles because it takes out one step in an admittedly long process. They make this Easy Lasagna recipe much more convenient! You can use regular lasagna noodles, pre-cooked to al dente, and omit the water in the sauce.

How to make Lasagna:

Here is a quick overview of the recipe! Scroll down to the recipe card for all the details you need.

1. Brown your meat and onion: in this recipe I like to use a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage because it adds a ton of flavor without us really having to put in any extra work!
2. Add your spices: adding your spices and garlic before your liquid really brings the flavor to life.

3. Add the tomato sauce and simmer your sauce until the flavors meld together.
4. Make the ricotta cheese mixture: Stir together the ricotta, seasonings, cheese and egg to hold it all together.

5. Layer it up: Start with a little meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish to ensure your noodles don’t stick to the bottom, then top with noodles, ricotta, and meat sauce and then repeat. Dump allllll of that extra mozzarella on the top for good measure!
6. Cover and bake: Covering the lasagna with aluminum foil to bake ensures that the moisture stays inside and cooks the noodles. We will uncover once we add the cheese and let it sit at room temperature for some time before slicing to help it set well.

Variations on this Easy Lasagna Recipe:

And because there are about 1 million different ways to make lasagna, here are a few tips to get it just the way you like:

• You can swap the ricotta for cottage cheese and change nothing else at all. See how easy that was! Simply mix it up with the cheese just like you would ricotta.
• Can you make lasagna without ricotta or cottage cheese? Absolutely! You can actually skip it altogether or use a Bechamel Sauce instead! (Just don’t tell anyone)
• Want to add extra veggies? Go for it! I often do, but I wanted to keep this lasagna recipe as simple as possible to start. Finely chopped carrots, celery, mushrooms, kale or spinach would be great, and you can add them when you’re cooking the meat.
• Don’t have an Italian sausage? You can use all ground beef or sub for ground turkey or pork, but you will want to increase the seasonings somewhat.

What’s the correct layering for lasagna?

To prepare your pan for your lasagna layers, it’s always a good idea to spray with non stick spray and then spread a bit of the red sauce in the bottom to keep the oven ready noodles moist and prevent them from sticking. From there, this is the best way to layer your lasagna:

1. Noodles
2. Ricotta cheese mixture
3. Red sauce
4. Repeat until all layers are done, then add your mozzarella on top!

Make ahead Lasagna method:

Lasagna is the perfect meal prep or make ahead meal! Just follow these steps:

1. Prepare your lasagna up to the point of baking, leaving the mozzarella cheese off for now.
2. Cool for 30-60 minutes at room temperature, then cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 2 days.
3. Continue with the baking instructions, adding a splash of water around the edges if the noodles appear to have soaked up a lot of the sauce.

How to freeze lasagna:

One of the best things about a good homemade lasagna is how easy it is to make ahead, and it still tastes just as amazing when you bake it later!

You can wrap and refrigerate the lasagna for 3-4 days before baking, or you can freeze it to enjoy it even later.

To freeze lasagna before baking, you can add the cheese before freezing or just before baking — I prefer to add it during the last ten minutes so it doesn’t get stuck to my foil!

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or use an airtight, freezer safe lid. Freeze up to 3 months before baking.

To bake, let thaw at room temperature throughout the day – 8 hours – or overnight in the refrigerator. Bake for 1-1.5 hours until heated through. Top with cheese and bake until melted.

What to serve with this Easy Lasagna Recipe:

Lasagna is a favorite here, and we love to serve it with a side of Garlic Bread, a basket of Homemade Breadsticks or some Homemade Dinner Rolls Recipe and Garlic Butter.

Want something green to serve with it? Try these Roasted Green Beans, Broccoli Casserole or Easy Broccoli Salad!

More baked pasta recipes you’ll love!

• Try this Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake if you love a creamy white sauce.
• Try this Rigatoni Pasta Bake if you love lasagna flavors but don’t feel like layering!
• Go for this Baked Mostaccioli Pasta if you love tomato-based pastas.
• Choose this Cheese Cannelloni Recipe if you want to impress your family!

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Easy Lasagna

This Easy Lasagna recipe is made with oven ready lasagna noodles, jarred tomato sauce and a couple special ingredients that bring LOADS of flavor! Includes step by step recipe video so you can make this simple lasagna at home.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 493cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 lb Italian sausage loose packed or casings removed (5 sausages)
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 3.5 cups jarred tomato pasta sauce about 1.5 jars
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups Ricotta cheese 450g
• 1/2 cup frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry (100g)
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese divided
• 12 oven ready lasagna noodles

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large pan, cook ground beef, Italian sausage and onion until browned, stirring often. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, drain it before continuing.
• Stir in garlic, salt and Italian seasoning and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in pasta sauce and water. Remove from heat to cool slightly. (This can also be made in advance and refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months)
• In a medium bowl, stir together Ricotta, spinach, cream, egg and Parmesan and 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (if baking right away) and lightly grease a deep 9×13" pan.
• Spread just enough meat sauce in the bottom of the pan to create a thin layer.
• Top with 3 lasagna noodles. Spread the noodles with ⅓ of the Ricotta mixture, and top that with ¼ of the meat sauce.
• Repeat layers 3 times, and on the last layer of noodles spread only the remaining meat sauce.
• Lightly grease a piece of tin foil or oven safe lid and place over top of the lasagna. Bake for 40-45 minutes until noodles are tender (this can take up to 60 minutes, depending on your brand of pasta) — it will still be juicy at this point and that's okay.
• Remove the foil and sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes until melted and broil for 2 minutes if desired to brown the cheese.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes — there should not be any liquid remaining on the edges after this rest. Slice and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 493cal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1252mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1489IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 313mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Easy Lasagna Recipe appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

French Silk Pie is chocolatey, rich, and as the name suggests – silky! Fluffy chocolate filling is piled high atop a no-bake chocolate pie crust! Sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings are the crowning glory on this no bake pie.

If you’re loving this recipe, be sure to also whip up a Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, Chocolate Cream Pie or my favorite Homemade Dark Chocolate Pudding Pie.

Between the chocolate crust, rich chocolate filling and gorgeous garnishes, there’s a whole lot to love in every bite of this no bake pie recipe.

French Silk Pie is one of my favorite desserts to enjoy a big slice of. I’m a huge chocolate lover! If you are too, then you’ll also fall in love with this classic chocolate pie.

But MY French Silk Pie is the recipe you need, because there are no raw eggs and the method is so much simpler than many other recipes.

Plus it yields a smooth and silky, easily sliceable consistency every time.

See how I do it down below!

Why we love it:

• So much chocolate – The thick, silky chocolatey filling is served on top of a chocolate crust. It’s a chocolate lovers dream come true!
• Classic – You’ll find no unnecessary frills in this classic french silk pie. It’s got all of the timeless elements you know and love!
• Simplified – Don’t let the eggs scare you off. I’ve simplified this process (check out my step-by-step photos) to make sure your French Silk Pie is perfect every time — no raw eggs, no tempering required!
• No bake – Isn’t it always nice to not have to preheat your oven? I love this no bake pie recipe!

French Silk Pie Ingredients

• Sugar – Plain white granulated sugar creates just the right amount of sweetness to balance the bitter dark chocolate.
• Dark Chocolate – It’s imperative to use DARK chocolate only. If you use milk or even semi-sweet chocolate, your end results may be way too sweet. French silk pie is supposed to have that signature rich chocolate flavor that comes from using dark chocolate.
• Vanilla Extract – This helps to create more depth to the sweet flavor.
• Chocolate Baking Crumbs – You should be able to find these in the baking aisle of your local grocery store. If you can’t find any, toss some Oreo cookies (without the cream) into a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form.
• Butter – Unsalted butter is preferred to avoid a salty flavor from forming. Note that the butter should be melted for the crust.
• Cocoa – This enhances the chocolatey flavor in the very best way.
• Eggs – You’ll need 4 eggs for this french silk pie recipe. The eggs help form the custard which is the base for our pie.
• Heavy cream: Some we use to create our custard, and some we whip and fold into our custard to lighten it. Be sure to grab extra if you are making Whipped Cream for the topping!

How to make French Silk Pie

Here’s a quick look at how to make easy french silk pie! Scroll to the bottom of this page for more detailed ingredient measurements and instructions.

• Stir together the crumbs and butter, then press the mixture into a pie dish.
• Whisk together the eggs, sugar, cocoa and 1 cup of cream in a saucepan until smooth.

• Over medium heat, whisk the mixture until thickened.
• Strain the mixture through a sieve over a mixing bowl.

• Stir in the vanilla, butter, and chocolate. Cool until it reaches room temperature and stir occasionally.
• Whip the cream until fluffy.

• Whip the chocolate mixture, then fold the whipped cream into it.
• Spread the filling into the pie dish, then chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

Variations and Substitutions

There are so many ways to make this french silk pie recipe even more special! Check out a few of my favorites:

• Make it less chocolatey – This no-bake pie is incredibly rich and chocolatey, but also light and fluffy. If you prefer, you can opt for a milder chocolate flavor by omitting the cocoa powder.
• Make it minty – Add in a teaspoon of mint extract in place of the vanilla for a minty twist.
• Add peanut butter – Add in a tablespoon or two of peanut butter along with the butter for a chocolate peanut butter twist.
• Make it turtle – Spread a layer of toasted, chopped pecans and thick caramel in the bottom of the crust for a turtle french silk pie!
• Add some berries – Top with fresh raspberries, strawberries or mixed berries for a bit of freshness that will complement the rich chocolate perfectly.

How to store French Silk Pie

You can keep this chocolate pie stored in your fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze French Silk Pie?

Yes! And this is one of the best things about this chocolate pie recipe, as it’s amazing frozen and thaws perfectly if you prefer to serve it chilled. My husband even prefers this french silk pie frozen!

What is the difference between chocolate pie and french silk pie?

With most chocolate pie recipes, it’s a simple cooked chocolate pudding poured into a pie crust and chilled. Chocolate pie is less, well, silky than french silk pie, and not as light in texture. French silk pie is a little more mousse-light in texture.

You Might Also Like…

Calling all chocolate fanatics! Get your fix with more of my favorite chocolatey recipes:

• Fudgiest and Best Homemade Brownies!
• No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream (so simple)
• Chocolate Trifle — perfect for a potluck!
• The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies (Mom’s, of course)

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French Silk Pie (the easy way!)

This easy French Silk Pie is made with a fluffy, rich chocolate filling and easy homemade pie crust, topped with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Easier than most, and no raw eggs!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 525.03cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

Crust

• 2½ cups chocolate baking crumbs (340g)
• ½ cup melted butter

Filling

• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
• 4 large eggs (room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 cups heavy cream (30-35% fat, divided)
• 200 grams chopped dark chocolate (I use 2 100 grams dark chocolate bars — about 1 ¼ cup)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• To make the crust, stir together chocolate crumbs and butter. Press into a 9" pie plate and up the sides. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, whisk together sugar, eggs, cocoa and 1 cup cream until smooth.
• Place saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened (you will know when it's thick!).
• Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl and stir in chocolate, butter and vanilla until smooth.
• Set aside or refrigerate until cooled to room temperature — 1-2 hours on the counter or 30-40 minutes in the refrigerator — stirring occasionally.
• Whip chocolate mixture on high speed until slightly lightened in color — about 5 minutes.
• Whip remaining 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form, and gently fold into chocolate mixture in two batches.
• Spread into prepared pie crust and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight, until set. Garnish with additional sweetened whipped cream before serving if desired.

Video

Notes

This pie is super rich and chocolatey, but still pretty light! If you would like to make it less rich, you have a few options:

• Add an extra ½ cup cream when whipping (for a total of 1.5 cups)
• Reduce the added chocolate to 100-150 grams
• Reduce the granulated sugar to 1 ¼ cup.

I don’t recommend doing all of these things as they will affect the outcome of the pie. The more you change, the less predictable the outcome will be.

Nutrition

Calories: 525.03cal | Carbohydrates: 49.37g | Protein: 4.83g | Fat: 36.3g | Saturated Fat: 20.85g | Cholesterol: 139.41mg | Sodium: 169.55mg | Potassium: 111.02mg | Fiber: 1.19g | Sugar: 38.33g | Vitamin A: 1016.85IU | Vitamin C: 0.24mg | Calcium: 42.47mg | Iron: 0.83mg

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