Red Lentil Soup
This simple delicious Red Lentil Soup recipe will soon become your new favorite! Highly adaptable, with simple, wholesome ingredients, it is fast and easy. Vegan and Gluten-free.
Category: One Pot Meals
Coq Au Vin
Easy & delicious, Coq Au Vin is a French chicken stew braised in a rich red wine sauce with cremini mushrooms, onions, carrots, and herbs.
30+ Cozy Vegetarian Soup Recipes
This collection of cozy, hearty Vegetarian Soup Recipes highlights the best of seasonal produce—a beautiful way to celebrate and embrace each season. Includes many vegan soup recipes; most are vegan-adaptable. Be sure to scroll to the end to see how to…
Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken Cacciatore is a wonderfully flavorful dish that’s ready to eat in just one hour. It’s wonderfully savory and succulent!
The post Chicken Cacciatore appeared first on Budget Bytes.
If you’re looking for a meal that feels like a splurge, look no further! Chicken Cacciatore is a wonderfully flavorful dish that’s ready to eat in just one hour. This one-pan chicken cacciatore recipe is savory and succulent thanks to juicy chicken thighs, budget-friendly canned tomatoes, earthy mushrooms, and briny capers. It’s a real weeknight hero.
WHat Is Chicken Cacciatore?
Chicken Cacciatore is an Italian dish made from chicken braised in a tomato-based sauce with onion, garlic, mushrooms, bell peppers, wine, and capers. It’s a classic and simple dish that’s hearty enough to fill your grumbling belly!
Ingredients for Chicken Cacciatore
Here’s what you’ll need to make Chicken Cacciatore:
- Chicken Thighs: Bone-in, skin-on thighs add a lot of extra flavor to this dish, but you can also use boneless, skinless thighs.
- Salt and Pepper: Salt and pepper are classic seasonings that enhance the flavor of the chicken.
- All-Purpose Flour: A little bit of flour helps to seal in moisture and creates a crispy crust on the chicken.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil (or cooking oil of your choice– vegetable or canola can help cut costs) helps everything cook without burning.
- Onion and Garlic: Alliums are classic flavor enhancers that create a savory base for this dish.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms: These mushrooms have a mild flavor and a meaty texture that adds a wonderful earthy component to the dish.
- Bell Pepper: Red bell pepper adds a delightful crunch and a fresh and vegetal flavor. You could also use a yellow or orange pepper.
- Red Wine: Adds a touch of acidity that balances the flavor of the sauce.
- Crushed Tomatoes: A 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes forms the base of the sauce.
- Capers: Capers add a briny brightness to the dish. Chopped green olives make a great substitute in a pinch!
- Chopped Fresh Herbs: Garnishing this dish with plenty of basil or parsley is a great way to freshen things up. A pinch or two of the dried stuff will also work.
What To Serve with Chicken Cacciatore
We love to serve chicken cacciatore with plain pasta, Pasta Primavera, Mushroom Rice, Balsamic Roasted Vegetables, or even Garlic Parmesan Polenta. It’s also great served with a crunchy salad and a side of No-Knead Bread for sopping up all of that delicious sauce!
Can I Omit the Wine?
You can absolutely omit the red wine to make this dish more budget-friendly or to suit your personal preferences. Red cooking wine is a great cheaper alternative that lasts for a long time in the pantry, or you can simply use chicken broth.
HOW TO USE LEFTOVER CAPERS
You’ll likely have leftover capers after making this chicken cacciatore. Leftover capers can be stored, submerged in their brine, in the refrigerator for several months as well. I highly suggest making a batch of Chicken Piccata or Pasta Puttanesca with your leftover capers, but they’re also great when added to pasta salads, tuna salad, deviled eggs, or potato salad.
How to Store Leftovers
Once cooked and cooled, this chicken cacciatore can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage. Reheat in a saucepan until warmed through and bubbling. It’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months and can be thawed overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken Cacciatore is a wonderfully flavorful dish that's ready to eat in just one hour. It's wonderfully savory and succulent!
Servings 6
Calories 690kcal
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs $6.65
- 1 tsp salt $0.04
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour $0.05
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided $0.36
- 1/2 onion, chopped $0.20
- 4 cloves garlic, minced $0.32
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced $2.69
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced $1.59
- 1/2 cup red wine $0.94
- 1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes $1.89
- 1 1/2 Tbsp capers $0.42
- Fresh basil or parsley (to garnish)
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a bowl. Toss with the salt, pepper, and flour until fully coated.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add in the chicken thighs, cooking on both sides until browned. Then, transfer to a plate.
- Add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the onion, and a sprinkle of salt. Cook for a few minutes until softened.
- Add in the garlic, mushrooms, and red bell pepper. Sprinkle with more salt and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
- Pour in the red wine and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add in the crushed tomatoes and capers.
- Return the chicken thighs to the pan, bring the mixture to a simmer, and cover the pan, cooking for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is tender. Uncover the pan, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 690kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 47g | Sodium: 975mg | Fiber: 4g
how to make Chicken Cacciatore – step by step photos
Place 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs in a bowl. Toss with 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour until fully coated.
Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add in the chicken thighs, cooking on both sides until browned. Then, transfer to a plate.
Add in 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 of a chopped onion, and a sprinkle of salt. Cook for a few minutes until softened.
Add in 4 minced cloves garlic, 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, and 1 sliced red bell pepper. Sprinkle with more salt and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
Pour in 1/2 cup red wine and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add in 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes and 1 1/2 Tbsp capers.
Return the chicken thighs to the pan, bring the mixture to a simmer, and cover the pan, cooking for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is tender. Uncover the pan, and cook for another 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley, if desired.
This delectable chicken cacciatore is going to be a staple in your weekly rotation; I just know it!
More One Pot Chicken Recipes
The post Chicken Cacciatore appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Golden Chickpea Soup
This creamy vegan Chickpea Soup recipe is like sunshine in a bowl. Made with veggies and rice in a golden turmeric coconut milk broth. A cheery soup for cozy winter days. Gluten-free.
One Pot Chili Mac
This super filling comfort food classic, One Pot Chili Mac, is like the hamburger helper of your childhood but all grown up and 100% from scratch!
The post One Pot Chili Mac appeared first on Budget Bytes.
So you grew up on Hamburger Helper, but now you’re an adult and have a more ✨refined✨ palate (read: sarcasm). Well, this One Pot Chili Mac recipe is your grown-up “I actually know how to cook now” substitute! And don’t worry, it’s almost just as easy as the boxed mix. Promise. It’s rich, hearty, cheesy, beefy comfort food pasta all cooked in one easy-to-clean pot. WIN!
What Is Chili Mac?
Chili Mac is simply macaroni noodles drenched in a rich tomato-based meat sauce, seasoned with chili spices, and with plenty of creamy cheddar cheese melted in. Some recipes also include beans, but I’m going for more of a Hamburger Helper dupe with mine, so I went sans beans. And you might be thinking, “I call that Goulash in my house.” While Chili Mac is similar to American Goulash in that they both contain macaroni noodles and a tomato-based meat sauce, they differ in their seasonings and flavor profiles.
Ingredients for Chili Mac
Here’s what you’ll need to make your own homemade chili mac:
- Onion and Garlic: The delicious meat sauce starts with onions and garlic sautéed in olive oil to give the beef plenty of flavor.
- Ground Beef: Ground beef makes this dish super hearty and delicious, while still being quick and easy to make. Opt for 85 or 90% lean ground beef to avoid having to drain the fat from the pan.
- Flour: A little flour cooked into the sauce helps thicken it up into a delicious gravy-like consistency.
- Spices: A mix of spices are added to the sauce for maximum flavor, including chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and oregano.
- Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce gives the sauce a tangy tomato flavor and adds to the chili flavor profile.
- Beef Broth: Beef broth adds tons of flavor to this dish and enough salt to keep everything properly seasoned. If using a low-sodium broth, you may need to add a little salt at the end to taste to really help the flavors pop. We used Better Than Bouillon to make our beef broth for maximum flavor.
- Macaroni: Macaroni noodles are an inexpensive and filling ingredient that helps stretch the cost of the beef and keep the entire recipe budget-friendly.
- Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar cheese is stirred into the sauce and added on top of the noodles for extra cheesy flavor!
What Else Can I Add?
If you want to take your chili mac to the next level, try adding one or more of these ingredients:
- Drained kidney or black beans
- Frozen corn kernels
- Sliced green onions
- Pickled jalapeños
- Diced tomatoes (or tomatoes with green chiles)
- Chipotle chile powder
What to Serve with Chili Mac
Chili mac is a true meal in a bowl, but if you want to serve something on the side I’d go for something fresh and light like Cowboy Caviar, Sweet Corn Salsa, or even Cumin Lime Coleslaw.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
As with any pasta dish, the macaroni will continue to get softer as it absorbs moisture from the sauce, so if softer pasta is not tolerable to you, you may not enjoy the leftovers. That being said, I will gobble up these leftovers without a second thought and love making this Chili Mac for meal prep and even to stock my freezer. I simply refrigerate single-serving portions for up to five days or freeze for up to three months. Let frozen portions thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat using the microwave.
One Pot Chili Mac
This super filling comfort food classic, One Pot Chili Mac, is like the hamburger helper of your childhood but all grown up and 100% from scratch!
Servings 6 (1 cup each)
Calories 471kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion $0.32
- 2 cloves garlic $0.16
- 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16
- 1 lb. ground beef $5.99
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.03
- 1 Tbsp chili powder $0.30
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika $0.05
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano $0.05
- 8 oz. tomato sauce $0.69
- 3 cups beef broth $0.32
- 1/2 lb. uncooked macaroni (about 2 cups) $0.50
- 1 cup shredded cheddar $1.17
Instructions
- Dice the yellow onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large deep skillet or Dutch oven with the olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and continue to stir and cook until the beef is cooked through. If using a higher fat content ground beef, you may want to drain off the excess fat at this point.
- Add the flour, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and oregano to the skillet with the beef and onions. Continue to cook and stir for about two minutes, allowing the flour and spices to coat the bottom of the skillet, but not burn.
- Add the tomato sauce and beef broth to the skillet and stir well to combine, making sure to scrape and dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the uncooked macaroni and stir to combine. Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the broth to come up to a full boil. Once boiling, give the pasta a quick stir to loosen any that is stuck to the bottom, turn the heat down to medium-low, and place the lid back on top.
- Allow the macaroni to simmer, stirring every few minutes and always replacing the lid, until the macaroni is tender and the broth has reduced to a rich red gravy (about 10 minuts).
- Stir half of the shredded cheese into the sauce until melted, and sprinkle the remainder on top. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat off, and allow the residual heat to melt the cheese on top. Serve hot and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 25g | Sodium: 825mg | Fiber: 3g
How to Make Chili Mac – Step by Step Photos
Dice one yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large deep skillet or Dutch oven with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
Add one pound of ground beef to the skillet and continue to stir and cook until the beef is fully browned. If you’re using a higher fat content beef, drain the excess fat out of the pan. Next, add 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of dried oregano.
Continue to stir and cook the flour and spices into the beef for about two minutes, allowing it to coat the bottom of the skillet, but not burn.
Add one 8oz. can of tomato sauce and three cups of beef broth to the skillet. Stir well until everything is evenly combined, making sure to scrape and dissolve all of the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
Add ½ pound (about 2 cups) of uncooked macaroni to the skillet and stir to combine. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come up to a boil. Once boiling, give everything a quick stir to loosen any macaroni from the bottom of the skillet, turn the heat down to medium-low, and place the lid back on top.
Let the macaroni simmer in the broth, stirring every few minutes or so and always placing the lid back on top, until the macaroni is tender and the broth has reduced to a saucy red gravy (about 10 minutes).
Add ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the chili mac and stir it into the sauce until melted.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese on top. Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat off. Let the residual heat melt the cheese, then serve. You can garnish with chopped cilantro or sliced green onions, if desired.
So cheesy, beefy, and delicious!!
More One Pot Pasta Recipes
The post One Pot Chili Mac appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Cioppino (Italian Fish Stew)
This Cioppino recipe is easy to make and full of rich flavor! Fresh fish and seafood is bathed in a light, fragrant tomato-herb broth. Video.
Navy Bean Soup
This Navy Bean Soup with ham is hearty, cozy, super flavorful, and perfect on a chilly day. Easy to make and absolutely delicious!
The post Navy Bean Soup appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Y’all, I’m on a roll with these simple, cozy, soup recipes! I had one extra ham hock left over from making Split Pea Soup a few weeks ago, so I decided to test a simple Navy Bean Soup recipe. I used dry, uncooked navy beans because they’re more economical than canned beans and you can infuse a lot of flavor into them. Then I just paired the navy beans with some vegetables, a smoked ham hock, and lots of herbs and spices. The results…a hearty, creamy, and absolutely delicious navy bean soup! Trust me, you’ll be blown away by how flavorful this soup is and just how easy it is to make!
INGREDIENTS FOR NAVY BEAN SOUP
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this comforting & delicious navy bean soup:
- Navy Beans – We start things off with dry, uncooked navy beans. Navy beans are creamy and break down easily in the soup.
- Vegetables – A combination of aromatics like onion, celery, carrots, and garlic are sautéed with a little bit of olive oil to add a great base layer of flavor and depth to the soup.
- Ham Hock – Ham and beans just go together like peanut butter and jelly!😄 The smoked ham hock we used infused a ton of smoky, salty, flavor into the navy beans! We also tested this recipe with just regular diced ham, but it did not provide the same type of rich flavor as a ham bone. However, smoked turkey wings are a great alternative to use if you don’t want to use ham.
- Spices – A combination of dried spices like thyme, oregano, and smoked paprika adds a rich color and wonderful flavor to the soup.
- Chicken Broth – Make sure you use a good quality chicken broth as a lot of the soup flavor will come from the broth. We use Better than Bouillon for our broth.
Do I Need To Soak Navy Beans Overnight?
Although it’s not mandatory, we did soak the navy beans overnight to help soften the beans and speed up the cooking process. You could also do a quick soak method if you are pressed for time.
To do the “quick soak method” start by giving the dry beans a quick rinse with cold water in a colander. Remove any stones or debris that you see. Next add the navy beans to a large pot and cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, continue to cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, remove the pot from the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and allow the beans to soak in the hot water for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans well before cooking!
Storing Leftovers
This navy bean soup recipe makes a big batch, so save the leftovers for lunch the next day or freeze for later. You can store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Or freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Navy Bean Soup
This Navy Bean Soup with ham is hearty, cozy, super flavorful, and perfect on a chilly day. Easy to make and absolutely delicious!
Servings 6 (1 1/3 cups each)
Calories
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dry navy beans $1.29
- 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.24
- 1 yellow onion $0.32
- 1 carrot $0.15
- 1 celery stalk $0.25
- 2 cloves garlic $0.16
- 1 ham hock $3.65
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme $0.05
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano $0.05
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary $0.05
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika $0.05
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
- 6 cups chicken broth $1.02
- 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
Instructions
- Start by soaking the dry navy beans overnight. Place the beans in a bowl, cover them with cold water, and place the bowl in the refrigerator. The next day, drain and rinse the beans.
- Dice the onion, the carrot, and the celery stalk. Mince the garlic cloves.
- Sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a large soup pot or Dutch oven with olive oil over medium heat, until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the soaked & drained beans, ham hock, dried thyme, dried oregano, dried rosemary, smoked paprika, black pepper, and chicken broth to the pot. Gently stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and begin to break down (approximately 1.5 hours). Flip the ham hock over once or twice, while the soup is simmering, so that it gets even exposure to the hot liquid.
- Once the beans are tender, remove the ham hock and pull the meat from the bone, then add the ham meat back to the soup.
- Now mash some of the beans against the side of the pot and stir the mashed beans back into the soup. Continue to simmer the soup uncovered for about 30 minutes to reduce some of the liquid and to thicken the soup further.
- Taste the soup and add salt, if needed. I ended up adding 1/4 tsp of salt after tasting. The amount of salt needed will depend highly on the type of broth used. Serve hot with some crusty bread for dipping and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
How to Make Navy Bean Soup – Step by Step Photos
Start by soaking the navy beans overnight. Place 1 lb. of dry navy beans in a bowl, cover them with cold water, and place the bowl in the refrigerator. The next day, drain and rinse the beans.
Dice one onion, one carrot, and one celery stalk. And mince two garlic cloves.
Sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a large soup pot or dutch oven with 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat, until the onions are soft and translucent.
Now add the soaked & drained beans, 1 ham hock, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 6 cups of chicken broth to the pot. Gently stir to combine all the ingredients.
Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and begin to break down (approximately 1.5 hours).
Once the beans are tender, remove the ham hock and pull the meat from the bone.
Then add the ham meat back to the soup.
Now mash some of the beans against the side of the pot and stir the mashed beans back into the soup. Continue to simmer the soup uncovered for about 30 minutes to reduce some of the liquid and to thicken the soup further.
Taste the soup and add salt, if needed. I ended up adding 1/4 tsp of salt after tasting. The amount of salt needed will depend highly on the type of broth used. Garnish with some fresh chopped parsley (optional). Now the only thing left to do is enjoy a big bowl of this cozy navy bean soup with some crusty bread for dipping and soaking up all that yumminess! Enjoy!
More Cozy Soup Recipes
The post Navy Bean Soup appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Persian Chicken
This Persian Chicken recipe is so flavorful and comforting! The savory, tender chicken and basmati rice are infused with fragrant Baharat spice – a delightful one-pan dinner that comes together quickly and easily!
Taco Soup
Taco soup is a hardy, flavorful, and versatile one-pot dish packed with healthy ingredients, perfect for a comforting and satisfying meal. Vegetarian adaptable and gluten-free.
