canned chicken

what do you do with a case of canned chicken? really...a whole whopping 24 cans of chicken. first off. i'm not even sure i like canned chicken. i don't really love canned any-type-of-meat. so now i have 24 cans of chicken. in my basement. filling up my food storage. waiting to be eaten.

i had to do something about those cans. they were haunting me. would i allow them to inhabit my precious storage space for years and years. or would i rotate them ever so slightly into my every day cooking.


first. i decided to open a can and just try the meat. i was pleasantly surprised. it was fresh tasting. not rotisserie fresh tasting. but not stale either. i just might like - grow accustomed to - this canned meat after all. now don't get me wrong. i wouldn't just open up a can and offer it to my dinner guests. but i may open up a can, combine it with a few fabulous ingredients, and then serve it at the finest of parties. with my name on it. because it's that good. and you'll want to take credit for it!


verdict is in. the canned chicken is welcome to sit upon my shelves and be stored for a "rainy day". or a sunny day. or any day you'd like add chicken to the menu. no need to be afraid any more!


i had recently participated in "the real women of philadelphia" cream cheese challenge. there were thousands of recipies submitted featuring "philadelphia cream cheese". some of them looked really delicious. i'm afraid i'll be cooking with cream cheese for quite some time to test many of them out. my hips may not like me any. but my taste buds are screaming "more, more, more". so with that, i give you my adapted version of "chicken cream cheese taco shells" by chef tess bakeresse.

chicken cream cheese taco shells

2 cans 14 oz chicken, drained (or 2 lbs chicken meat)

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

zest of 1 lime

juice of 1 lime

2 tbl taco seasoning

1 box jumbo pasta shells

1/4 cup butter

3 cup shredded mexican cheese blend

1 cup salsa

1 cup chili verde

1 cup tortilla chips, crushed

in a large bowl, microwave cream cheese for 30 seconds, or until it can be stirred. add in the chicken, lime zest and juice, 1 cup shredded cheese, and taco seasoning. mix well until all ingredients are incorporated. chill in refrigerator. in a large pot boil the pasta shells according to package directions. when they are al dente, drain the water. add the pasta back to the pot with the butter.

spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. stuff about 2 tbl of chicken mixture into each shell. there should be enough to make 30 shells.







spoon salsa and chili verde over the top of the shells. top with remaining cheese and crushed tortilla chips. cover with foil. bake at 350 for 35 minutes. remove the foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.


p.s. personal disclaimer. i am not a photographer. nor do i claim to be. maybe with time, i'll get better. these pictures are not very pretty. but these still taste fantastic. and they look beautiful when you serve them up on a plate.