One pot chicken thighs and creamed spinach dip - Keto

This recipe is OMG to die for. I made it last night and I can’t wait to warm up some leftovers again for dinner. The frying of the chicken is a little messy so I may try it in the air fryer next time but I love the crispiness of the chicken in the pan. The creamy spinach (aka spinach dip) is so delicious I could just eat that as a dip with crackers or tortilla chips. This is hands down one of my favorite recipes I’ve made this year. The picture doesn't do it justice at all. 

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons oil

Seasonings: salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder

5-6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs

8 ounce package cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large handfuls of fresh spinach

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese

1 can mild Rotel

 

DIRECTIONS

Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder.  Add the chicken thighs to the skillet skin side down, and cover with a splatter guard, if desired.

When the chicken skin is crispy and releases from the pan (about 15 minutes), flip them to the other side. Let cook until an internal temperature thermometer reads 165F.  Remove from pan onto a plate and set aside.  Pour out any grease that is left in the pan.

In the same skillet add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and stir to combine. Add the spinach. Once this mixture is getting melty, add the can of rotel and parmesan/asiago cheese blend. Stir until creamy. 

Notes:

The original recipe called for 12 oz frozen chopped spinach, but I used fresh baby spinach. It also said 1 cup of parmesan, but I mixed it up with the asiago. If you’re not a chicken on the bone person use chicken breasts or tenderloin strips. You won’t have the crisp skin but it will still be a magical combination.

Stuffed Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese

When I first saw this idea I was pretty skeptical but I figured if it works for Rachael Ray, I should give it a shot.  I can honestly say I will probably never make a “normal” grilled cheese again. This was beyond amazing. A grilled cheese that tastes like stuffed garlic cheese bread!

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread

2-3 cheese slices (any variety you prefer)

2 tbsp. mayo

Garlic powder

Parmesan

Italian seasoning

Mix mayo with a few dashes of garlic powder, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Heat pan on stove top to medium. Spread mayo mixture on one side of each piece of bread. Put bread mayo mixture face down, layer on cheese. I used American, mozzarella and pepper jack. Place other slide of bread on top. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

Wanna step it up a notch? Throw in a few pieces of pepperoni, bacon bits or jalapenos.  This is a total game changer. 

Jalapeno Popper Cheese Bread

I love anything to do with jalapeno poppers. I’m also a sucker for cheese bread. So this was a marriage of the utmost happiest for my taste buds.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of french bread

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon garlic powder

4oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 mayo

1/2 cup jalapeno slices, divided

1 tbsp. parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or Colby jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Cut the bread lengthwise and place both parts face up on the sheet.  Brush both pieces with melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic powder.  Cover with a piece of aluminum foil and place in the oven.  Bake for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, divide the jalapenos. Save the pretty slices to place on top of the bread (About 1/4 cup). Chop the rest. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, chopped jalapenos, parmesan, salt and pepper.

Remove the bread from the oven and uncover. Spread the jalapeno dip mixture on the bread. Top with remaining jalapenos and the shredded cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese begins turning golden brown. 

Low-Carb Cheeseburger Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 packet onion soup mix

1 bag shredded colby jack (or your cheese of choice)

1 tbsp. minced garlic

Topping:

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup heavy cream (I used half & half)

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  Brown burger and drain excess fat. 

While you're waiting for the meat to brown mix together all topping ingredients. Stir well.

After meat is cooked, thoroughly mix in onion soup mix. Mix in ¾ bag of shredded cheese. Place in greased casserole dish

Cover top of casserole with topping mixture. Add remaining cheese evenly on top of mixture. Bake for 40 minutes. 

This casserole was amazing! I'm not sure how, but it tasted like tater tot casserole, minus the carbs. Super easy to make and hit the spot on a cold rainy night in Iowa. 

Cheddar bacon garlic dip

Ingredients

6 bacon strips, thick-cut cooked and crumbled

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup mayo

1 cup shredded cheddar

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

In a medium mixing bowl, place cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream. Whisk to combine, until smooth and creamy. Add garlic powder. Add bacon and cheddar to the mixing bowl with cream cheese mixture, and stir to combine.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with your favorite crackers.  I chose to use bacon Ritz and added a stalk of green onion just for fun. 

Lyndee's Yum Dip

Ingredients:

1 tsp garlic powder

3 tbsp Hidden Valley dry ranch mix

2 cups shredded cheddar

1 cup bacon pieces

2 blocks cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup mayo

1 tbsp sriracha

2 stalks green onions, chopped

Mix cream cheese, mayo, garlic, ranch, sriracha together until well blended.  Stir in bacon, cheese and green onions. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving with crackers, tortilla chips or veggies.

Note: The amount of sriracha can be more or less depending on your taste for heat.  It was just right for the average tongue but next time I might try a wee bit more. 

Fiesta Ranch Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 pkg. of pasta (rotini, bowtie, tri-colored, etc.)

1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 package frozen roasted corn

1 green pepper, chopped

1 can of olives, sliced

5 oz. Queso Fresco (shredded cheddar or Colby jack would work as well)

10.5 oz. grape tomatoes, cut in half (or 2 tomatoes cut up)

Dressing Ingredients:

2 cups mayonnaise

1 cup buttermilk

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Fiesta dip mix

Directions:

Cook pasta, drain and cool.  Do not rinse pasta. Combine with all of the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and then whisk together the dressing. Add dressing to the salad and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Million Dollar Cream Cheese and Garlic Dip

Everyone knows I finding new dip recipes for get-togethers.  This dip has only six ingredients but many flavors to satisfy your taste buds. 

Ingredients:

8 oz whipped cream cheese

1 cup of mayonnaise

2 cups of shredded colby jack cheese

5 green onions, chopped

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup of bacon, chopped into small pieces

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir well. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve with chips, crackers, or your favorite vegetables. 

Sriracha Bacon Sliders

When you’re having a Cards Against Humanity party and you know how much your friends love bacon and sriracha, these sliders are an absolute no brainer. I was a bit worried they would be too hot but they were nothing short of spectacular and were a huge hit with the crew. 

Ingredients:

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 sriracha sauce

24 slider rolls, sliced in half but kept as one large piece (I used King Hawaiian Sweet Rolls)

3 cups cooked turkey or chicken (I used canned chunk chicken)

2 cups shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack)

4 Tbsp butter, melted

1/4 tsp garlic salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and sriracha sauce. Set aside. Put the bottom of the rolls in the baking dish. Spread the sriracha sauce over them. Add the cooked turkey/chicken, bacon, cheese and top with the top half rolls. Mix the butter and garlic salt together and spread over the top of the rolls.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Loaded Ranch Dip

A delicious party dip or game day grub.

Ingredients:

1 cup light sour cream

1 cup light mayonnaise

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

1 lb bacon

3 to 4 green onions, sliced

1 cup shredded cheese (I used colby jack)

Cook the bacon on both sides until crisp. Drain fat. Allow bacon to rest on paper towels until cool. Chop bacon into crumbles and set aside.

Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing mix together in a bowl.  Fold in the bacon, green onions, and shredded cheese. Chill for an hour in the fridge. Enjoy with sturdy crackers or tortilla chips.  

Crockpot Sausage Jalapeno Popper Dip

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground Italian sausage (or regular pork or whatever appeals to you)

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1 lb. jalapenos, seeded and diced

1 green onion, finely chopped

16 oz. sour cream

1/2 C. mayo

2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 tbsp. hot sauce  

Brown sausage and minced garlic. Drain.  Mix all ingredients together and dump into crockpot.  Cook on high for one hour.  Serve warm with ritz crackers or tortilla chips.  We also discovered this is great on top of a freshly grilled burger!  

Bacon Corn Jalapeno Dip

Ingredients

1 package cream cheese, softened

8 oz (1 cup) sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can corn, drained and dried

1 package bacon, cooked and drained

2-3 jalapenos, diced

1-2 tbsp hot sauce

Cook and drain bacon, set aside to cool. Stir together cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Add in the diced garlic and jalapenos, then the drained corn. Chop or tear the bacon into small strips and stir into the dip. Add hot sauce. Chill for at least an hour and serve with chips, crackers, or raw veggies. 

Made this for a bonfire Thursday night and it was gone before some people even got to try it! I’d say it was a hit. 

Bacon Egg Salad

 Ingredients:

18 hard boiled eggs

2 tbsp drained pickle relish (I used dill but you can also use sweet)

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/3 cup mustard

1 cup mayo (I used fat free)

Minced onions, salt, pepper & powdered garlic - Sprinkle to liking

2 cups oven cooked bacon - crisp & crumbled

Croissants

Put the eggs & all the egg mix ingredients in a large bowl & mix with fork.  Mash & break up the eggs as you go.  When all combined & there are no large chunks- refrigerate until ready to serve.  Add to croissants (toasted or untoasted) when serving.

I cut this recipe in a third since I’m living solo.  You don’t have to eat this on croissants, although, hello, croissants are awesome! You can enjoy this on toast, a bun or like I did, which was all by itself.  Great flavor and a good protein breakfast.  

Amish Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

1 head broccoli, chopped

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1 cup mayo

1 cup sour cream

½ cup sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ pound bacon, fried and crumbled

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix mayo, sour cream, sugar and salt.  

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.  Chill one hour before serving.  

Mustard Dip

I will be the first to admit that when you look at this recipe, it seems like a very odd combination of flavors and ingredients BUT this dip is incredible. Warning, once you start, you can't stop. So addicting! 

Ingredients:

1 C. yellow mustard                                                                       

chopped onions

1 C. mayonnaise                                                                              

1/3 C. sugar

1 C. sour cream                                                                                

horseradish to taste                                                      

1 envelope hidden valley ranch mix (dry)

                               

Mix together and refrigerate.  Serve with pretzels. (Makes a large batch). 

Fresh Broccoli Salad

2 heads fresh broccoli                                                                   

1 C. mayonnaise              

1 red onion                                                                                        

1/2 C. white sugar

1/2 lb. bacon crumbled                                                                 

1/2 - 1 Tbsp. white vinegar

handful sunflower seeds

Cut broccoli in bite size pieces, chop onion and prepare bacon and crumble.  Mix all together.  Mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar and mix with broccoli mixture.  About an hour before serving add sunflower seeds and stir well. Chill and serve.

Ranch Cheddar Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 package Ranch Seasoning Mix (I didn’t have a packet of dry so I used 3 oz of ranch dressing)

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

6 chicken thighs (skin removed)

Salt and pepper, to taste

8 Ritz crackers, crushed (or panko breadcrumps)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, cheese, Ranch Seasoning and garlic.

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken in a single layer onto the prepared baking dish and top with mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle with crackers.

Place into oven and cook until completely cooked through and golden brown on top, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes.

My chicken took a little longer than 30 minutes.  I liked the combination of flavors. You could still taste the ranch even though I used liquid instead of a ranch packet.  

Italian cheese dip

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 packet Italian dressing mix

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup bacon bits

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate an hour before serving. Serve with crackers and veggies.

This is good but super strong Italian flavor.  I doubled the recipe and ended up adding more cream cheese and mayo.  Next time I would make a double batch but only use 1 packet for the entire thing.  It was better after it sat in the fridge overnight but still very strong flavor.  

Stuffed sweet pepper and bacon dip

Review by Lyndee.

My friend Bob makes these delicious stuffed sweet peppers and now has turned it into a dip that is to die for! 

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

½ cup sour cream

½ cup mayo

½ cup monterrey jack

1 cup sharp cheddar

Pinch of basil

A couple pinches of parsley

1 tsp onion powder

1 ½ tsp garlic powder

3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp cayenne

½ lb cooked, crumbled bacon (1/2 in dip, 1/2 as garnish on top)

½ sleeve crumbled ritz crackers

10 small sweet peppers, roasted, seeded, skinned and diced

2 tbsp salsa verde

Mix all ingredients except bacon and crackers.  Add ½ the bacon.  Top with crushed crackers.  Top that with the rest of the bacon crumbles.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Serve warm with crackers, corn or tortilla chips. 

This dip is seriously amazing.  Much less work than stuffing peppers and wrapping in bacon but all the flavor and then some.  

Corn dip

Review by Audra:

Ingredients:

2 cans mexi corn
1 can green chili
Green onions, chopped
2 jalapenos, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo

Dice green onions, green pepper and jalapenos.  Mix all ingredients together and chill in the fridge for one hour.  Serve with tortilla chips.