COOKING THURSDAY ~ HAWAIIAN CHICKEN BOWLS ~ BLOG 365.260D

Think beach side island vibes in paradise and this recipe will take you there! There’s something so enticing about feeling that ocean breeze and the scent of grilled chicken mixing with the tangy sweetness of pineapple dancing in the air to make you think and feel tropical warmth no matter what time of year you make this dish.

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN BOWL adapted from WEEK NIGHT DISHES 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon avocado oil

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil.
  • Add the chicken and cook3-4 minutes per side until browned on all sides and fully cooked through.
  • Remove and set aside.

1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
1/2 red onion, sliced thin, divided
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

  • In the same skillet, add a splash of the reserved pineapple juice and toss in the pineapple chunks, half the red onion and the red bell pepper, sautéing 3–4 minutes until slightly caramelized and softened.

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 tablespoons QUALITY honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the liquid aminos, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of reserved pineapple juice and cornstarch until smooth.
  • Pour this into the skillet with the pineapple and veggies, stirring constantly 2-3 minutes until thickened.

2 cups cooked jasmine or brown rice
Reserved 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1 small bunch green onions, sliced
Thinly shredded carrots, for garnish
Chopped parsley, for garnish
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish

  • Return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce.
  • Simmer for another minute or two, letting all the flavors come together.

  • Scoop warm rice into bowls.
  • Top with the chicken-pineapple mixture.
  • Sprinkle with green onions, reserved red onion slices and sesame seeds if desired.

NOTES:

  • I often substitute Yakisoba noodles for the rice.
  • I also like to use tenders and cook them before cutting into chunks.

COOKING THURSDAY ~ HONEY LIME CHICKEN with MANGO SALSA ~ BLOG 365.260B

Quick, flavorful and juicy chicken dish perfect for warm-weather meals. Marinated in a zesty honey lime marinade and then grilled or baked to complete perfection before being topped with a refreshing mango salsa that adds a spicy sweetness.

HONEY LIME CHICKEN with MANGO SALSA adapted from BETTER HOME BASE   
CHICKEN
2 LARGE boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons QUALITY honey
2 LARGE limes, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice, lime zest, oil, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.
  • Place the chicken in a resealable bag and pour the marinade over it.
  • Let it marinate for AT LEAST 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours for maximum flavor.

MANGO SALSA
1 LARGE ripe mango, diced
¼ cup red onion, FINELY chopped
1 small jalapeño seeded and minced, +/- for heat, optional
FRESH chopped cilantro, for garnish
Juice of 1 LARGE lime
FRESH ground sea salt and pepper ,to taste

  • In a medium bowl, combine the diced mango, red onion, jalapeño (if using), and cilantro.
  • Squeeze in the fresh lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir well and let it sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

ASSEMBLE & SERVE you can grill, pan sear or bake this chicken easily.

  • While the salsa is resting preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
  • Grill the chicken 5-6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
  • Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Slice the cooked chicken and place it on a serving plate.
  • Spoon the fresh mango salsa over the top.
  • Serve immediately with rice or tortillas.

NOTES: Alternative methods.

PAN SEARING
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until fully cooked through.
Remove from heat and let it rest before serving.

BAKING
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Place the chicken in a baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY ~ week 37 of 2026 with RECIPE LINKS & MENUS ~ BLOG 365.257

Be sure to join us at Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

GOOD MORNING We’ve been away at the family reunion and are headed home today, probably as you’re reading this 🙂 so it will be quick. We always do a shared photo album for all family members which currently has over 200 pictures in it and is still growing! I will pick just a couple for today and do a bigger post recapping our journeys later in the week.

Tomorrow is my birthday and what will I be doing? Traveling. Hubby and I try to plan trips over our birthdays, but for some reason mine always gets waylaid or messed up somehow like with this year’s family reunion that I now need a vacation from ~ it’s been a LONNNNNNNNG couple weeks. Oh well, we’re planning another trip to celebrate both our anniversary and my birthday next month.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We are starting the day in the mid 90°’s, but it will be around 70° when we get home. We are really ready to get rid of the excessive heat we’ve been dealing with on this trip. It was 107° the day we got to the family reunion AND REALLY humid!!! We were not very happy campers, but it did cool down to the high 80°’s eventually and the humidity decreased a bit so it was tolerable for the rest of the trip. We actually had to grab jackets on Friday and Saturday evenings once the sun went down.

TO DO, APPOINTMENTS, DVR/TV & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS, TRAVEL,  APPOINTMENTS, MENUS & DVR/TV
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I’ll have 2 weeks of road trip laundry to do on Wednesday and Thursday.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS At some point I’ll have to head to town for a few groceries and will check the calendar for any appointments when we get home.
  • PROJECTS & TRAVELS no projects this week and the travels will be over for a few weeks. 🙂
  • THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY Seeing the smiling faces of my littles nieces and nephews… family time… BIG hugs from loved ones I haven’t seen in a while…

READING TIME

I tried to read during the trip, but kept falling asleep as my head hit the pillow. I’ll work on reading THE BAKING GAMES by Rachel Hannah this week. We did listen to and AUDIBLE book on the way down 2 weeks ago and will start another one on the way home.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

9/14 MONDAY 9/15 TUESDAY 9/16 WEDNESDAY
9/17 THURSDAY
9/18 FRIDAY 9/19 SATURDAY 9/20 SUNDAY
DINNER
on the road
FISH TACO BOWL @ BLACK-BLEU for birthday dinner
DONKEY BOWLS
CORN/YOYO I’m going to dinner and a play with my girlfriend whose birthday is next week so we celebrate together between our special days 🙂 
BRAISED BEEF STEW & HERB BISCUITS
CORNED BEEF SANDWICHES with SMASHED PEA & BARLEY SOUP
SUNDAY SAUCE & MEATBALLS
DESSERT
 
HOW TO CATCH A HUSBAND CAKE

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

There are SOOOOOOOOOOOO many to edit yet, but here is a picture of me and some nieces. They are older than I am, but still call me auntie! Sometimes, it really freaks people out in public places 🙂 My one niece Toni is always great about doing something special for all our littles. This year she became the pied piper of spun sugar! She made regular and root beer flavored, both of which were HUGE hits!

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • HAWAIIAN CHICKEN BOWLS
  • HONEY LIME CHICKEN with PINEAPPLE MANGO SALSA

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

COOKING THURSDAY ~ TERIYAKI PINEAPPLE CHICKEN & RICE RICE STUFFED PEPPERS ~ BLOG 365.253D

The perfect combination of savory teriyaki flavor mixed with the sweet burst of pineapple makes a tangy savory flavor profile all nestled in flavorful peppers making it an all-in-one meal. This recipe is quick and delicious with a fun twist on the classic stuffed pepper. These can be prepared well in advance for making any weeknight meal quick, easy and flavorful.

TERIYAKI PINEAPPLE RICE STUFFED PEPPERS
adapted from GOURMET MARTHA 

4 large red, yellow or orange bell peppers, tops and seeds removed ~ save pepper tops
1 tablespoon avocado oil

  • Preheat the oven to 375°.
  • Place bell peppers cut side up in a baking dish.
  • Drizzle with oil and bake for 10 minutes, just to soften them slightly.

1 pound cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (rotisserie chicken makes an easy short cut)
2 cups cooked rice, slightly cooled
1 cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small bunch green onions, sliced
reserved tops, FINELY chopped

FRESH black pepper, to taste

  • While the peppers are baking, combine the cooked chicken, cooked rice, pineapple tidbits, teriyaki sauce, garlic powder, green onions, diced pepper tops and black pepper in a large bowl, mixing until everything is evenly coated and well combined.

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese, optional!!! We prefer them without it.
2 green onions, sliced, optional, for garnish
Sesame seeds, optional, for garnish

  • Remove the peppers from the oven and stuff with the chicken and rice mixture, pressing the filling down gently to pack it in well.
  • Sprinkle the tops of the stuffed peppers with shredded cheese.
  • Return the stuffed peppers to the oven and bake for another 30-45 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden and the peppers are tender.
     
  • Remove the peppers from the oven and let them cool slightly.
  • Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
  • Serve warm.

NOTES:

  • Go easy on using any salt as the teriyaki sauce is quite salty on its own.
  • I often prepare these in advance – to a point. Prepare them through the filling, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bring to room temperature before baking. You may have to bake them 5-10 minutes longer to cook all the way through if they have been refrigerated.

COOKING THURSDAY ~ MEXICAN STREET CORN CHICKEN PASTA SALAD ~ BLOG 365.253C

MEXICAN STREET CORN CHICKEN PASTA SALAD adapted from LE  CREME DE LA CRUMB  serves 8

SALAD
3 cups baby spinach
2 cups shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken works well
3 cups cooked bowtie pasta noodles or campanelle noodle
2 ears FRESH corn
2 teaspoons avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 avocados, sliced
½ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
Lime wedges, for serving

  • Brush corn with oil and season with salt to taste. Grill over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, turning throughout, until kernels begin to char. Allow to cool slightly before using a sharp knife to cut kernels from the cobs. 

  • In a large bowl combine spinach, chicken, pasta, grilled corn, avocados, black beans, cilantro, onions, and cheese.

DRESSING

⅓ cup Duke’s mayo
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

  • In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside. 

  • Pour dressing over the top over prepares salad and toss to combine.
  • Serve immediately


COOKING THURSDAY ~ NO BAKE LEMON STRAWBERRY DELIGHT ~ BLOG 365.253B

This super simple no bake cheesecake recipe full of fluffy layers of lemon and strawberry no-bake cheesecake on top of a sweet and salty golden cookie crumb crust that will make your table shine. If that isn’t enough, add fluffy vanilla whipped cream topped with fresh diced strawberries and crunchy Oreo cookie crumbs for a cool and creamy summer vibed dessert. This recipe adapts to just about any flavor combination you can dream up. If you choose darker flavors or even chocolate pudding, change up the Oreos accordingly.

NO BAKE LEMON STRAWBERRY DELIGHT adapted from DELISH

20 finely crushed golden Oreos, plus 3 finely chopped for topping
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, divided

1 + 1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract, divided

2 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided

5 teaspoons strawberry gelatin powder (strawberry Jell-O)
5 teaspoons lemon gelatin (lemon Jell-O)
2/3 cup fresh strawberries, hulled, finely chopped

  • In a large bowl, whisk crushed cookies and salt.
  • Pour in butter and stir until combined.
  • Press into bottom of an 8×8 inch glass baking dish.
  • Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • In another large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla a couple minutes until smooth and creamy.
  • Add 1 1/2 cups cream and beat 2-3 minutes more until light and fluffy.
  • Divide evenly into 2 bowls.
  • Add lemon gelatin powder to one bowl of cream cheese mixture and beat a minute or so until combined and uniform in color.
  • Spread onto crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.
  • Add strawberry gelatin powder to the other bowl of cream cheese mixture and beat a minute or so until combined and uniform in color.
  • Spread on top of lemon layer, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.
  • Refrigerate until cold and set, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
  • When ready to serve, in a medium bowl, using handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat remaining cream, confectioners’ sugar, and 1/2 vanilla until stiff peaks form.
  • Spread whipped cream over strawberry layer.
  • Sprinkle with FRESH chopped strawberries.
  • Sprinkle with chopped cookies and serve immediately.

NOTES:

  • You can SHORT CUT the whipped cream layer by either using cool whip or canned whipped cream when serving.
  • You can also crumb the cookies in a small food processor with the salt and melted butter for a finer crumb. 

COOKING THURSDAY ~ PINEAPPLE SALSA CHICKEN VERDE ENCHILADAS ~ BLOG 365.253A

PINEAPPLE SALSA CHICKEN VERDE ENCHILADAS adapted from HALF BAKED HARVEST 

1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders or small breasts
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 Poblano pepper
2 cups salsa Verde
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup FRESH chopped cilantro
10-12 golden blend tortillas
1 cup FINELY shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Lightly oil a baking dish and set aside.
  • Rub chicken with the avocado oil.
  • Places chicken pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Whisk together the chili powder, cumin, and paprika and sprinkle over chicken pieces.
  • Add the Poblano to the baking sheet.
  • Transfer baking sheet to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken with two forks.
  • De-seed the Poblano and cut into slices.
  • Add the shredded chicken and Poblano to a bowl.
  • Add 1/2 cup salsa Verde, the rice, half the cheese, and the cilantro to the chicken and toss to combine.

  • Pour 1/2 cup of the salsa Verde onto the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  • Spoon a little of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla, tuck and roll, placing the tortilla, seam side down, into the baking dish.
  • Pour the remaining salsa Verde over top of the enchiladas.
  • Top with the remaining the cheese.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
  • Remove and top with the Pineapple Avocado Salad.

PINEAPPLE AVOCADO SALSA

1 avocado diced or sliced
1 cup FRESH chopped pineapple
1 jalapeno seeded + chopped
Juice of 1 LARGE lime
1/3 cup FRESH chopped cilantro

  • Gently toss together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  • Keep stored in the fridge for up 2 days.