How to 'Cook Once, Eat Twice' with Southwestern Chicken and Chicken Rollups

Member

By Amanda C. Strosahl
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating:

(20 Ratings)

'Cook Once, Eat Twice' with Southwestern Chicken and Chicken Rollups

With careful planning, you can cut your cooking time and make satisfying, healthy meals for your family almost every night. The key is to think ahead and make extra portions of main ingredients for use in more than one meal. This style of cooking is often referred to as “cook once, eat twice.”

Here is an example of planning complementary meals to feed a family of four using the "cook once, eat twice" technique: Southwestern Chicken and Chicken Rollups.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

6 chicken breasts, skins removed
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
4 slices Monterey Jack cheese
1 small can diced green chilies
1-8oz package cream cheese
4 (10-inch) tortillas
Fresh spinach (about 4 cups)
Your favorite salad vegetables
Ranch dip or salsa for dipping
Two dishes for baking the chicken

Step 1

Prepare to 'Cook Once, Eat Twice:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Divide your chicken breasts: You will be cooking the chicken breasts all at the same time, but you will want to use two dishes to prevent flavors from mixing. Put 4 chicken breasts in the first dish and the other 2 breasts in the second dish.

Divide your can of diced green chilies: You will be using 3/4 of the can the first night and the other 1/4 of the can the second night.

Divide your spinach: You will be using 2 cups of spinach per night.
Step 2

Cook your chicken breasts:

Top the 4 breasts with BBQ sauce and bake uncovered, basting every 10-15 minutes with the sauce.

At the same time, cover the other 2 breasts with foil and cook until no pink remains and the juices run clear.

Cooking should take between 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your breasts.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, set aside the 2 breasts to cool. Once cool, remove the meat from the bone and mince in your food processor or blender.
Step 3

Make Southwestern Chicken for the first night:

Divide the 3/4 of the can of chilies evenly between the BBQ chicken breasts. Top with the Monterey Jack cheese slices. Put the cheese and chilies topped BBQ chicken breasts back in the oven just long enough to allow the cheese to melt.

Serve with a little bit of sour cream, if desired.

Use your salad vegetables and half your spinach to make a healthy side salad.

Appropriate side dishes would be macaroni and cheese, cooked rice or mashed potatoes.
Step 4

Make Chicken Rollups for the second night:

Combine the cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups minced chicken, and the remaining diced chilies; mix until well blended.

Spread 1/4 of the cream cheese and chicken mixture evenly on each of the four tortillas. Top with the remaining fresh spinach.

Roll each tortilla jellyroll style and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. After chilling, remove the plastic wrap and slice each rolled tortilla in half.

Serve with the ranch dip or salsa, along with your remaining sliced vegetables.

The Chicken Rollups can be made on the first night and chilled until the second night. Just make sure the chicken has completely cooled before making and wrapping the tortilla rolls.