Author Archives: Jennifer FIsher

Fit & Fresh Watermelon Workout + Juice as Exercise Sports Drink

Posted on by
Reply

This post is sponsored byWatermelon.org, however all editorial opinions and content, unless otherwise noted, remain my own – as does the enthusiasm for watermelon.

Many of us are still avoiding the gym and working up a sweat in the family room, garage or backyard instead. But, what to do if things start to get boring or you don’t have the right equipment on hand?! Do what I do and just improvise to freshen up your home fitness routine – and add a WATERMELON to your workout!

Grab a watermelon or two, and sweeten up your home sweat sesh with this fun workout. Full body, cardio and strength with exercises that use a tote bag to allow a greater range of movement in this watermelon workout. Exercise can be both serious, and practical (what a great fitness hack)! -- and don't forget watermelon and watermelon juice is the perfect pre and post workout snack for runners and athletes.

This Freestyle Fresh & Fit Watermelon Workout will sweeten up your home workout and bring a smile to your face – it’s a silly and a serious sweat sesh at the same time. If you know me, you gotta realize by now that exercising with a watermelon is one of my FAVORITE home fitness hacks. I’ve done everything from watermelon pool workouts to home watermelon workouts you can do inside on a mat to high intensity interval workouts with watermelon for the backyard or park.  

Use watermelon as impromptu "weights" in your workout! It's a great fitness hack!

Jumbo, standard and personal-sized watermelons offer different weight options. I’ve used watermelons as big as 30 pounds to exercise with – you DON’T want to drop them! Today, I’m keeping it more moderate (but still challenging) with a 15-pounder and a 5-pounder mini watermelon.

Grab a watermelon or two, and sweeten up your home sweat sesh with this fun workout. Full body, cardio and strength with exercises that use a tote bag to allow a greater range of movement in this watermelon workout. Exercise can be both serious, and practical (what a great fitness hack)! -- and don't forget watermelon and watermelon juice is the perfect pre and post workout snack for runners and athletes.

Also, I’m showing many watermelon exercises with an “in the bag” trick that allows the unwieldy, round-ish fruit to be used safely for even more movements. Adding a watermelon to a totebag with sturdy handles is a great way to turn it into a piece of equipment you can swing like a kettle bell, hang over your shoulders like a wieght vest, and more safely hold overhead or in other exercise positions without worry of dropping and smashing the watermelon . . . or your face!

The Freestyle Fit & Fresh Watermelon Workout, lets you choose your order of cardio exercise holding watermelon and strength exercise with watermelon. I’ve squeezed my demo of this garage or backyard watermelon workout on super speed above so you can get the idea.

Another great way to use the whole fruit is to DRINK THE WATERMELON JUICE. There are so many great reasons to drink this fit and fresh beverage. It’s 100% natural, just juice from a watermelon. No funny colorings, preservatives or added sugars. Of course, there are some natural fruit sugars in it, but that’s a good thing in my opinion because topping off glucose stores during and after intense, prolonged exercise is needed for optimal performance.

Also, Vitamin C and amino acid l-citrulline, both found in watermelon and watermelon juice, are beneficial for my active lifestyle. There are more watermelon benefits for runners and athletes. For example, some studies have shown that Vitamin C can help boost immunity during high training cycles and that l-citrulline may help to minimize post-workout fatigue and soreness by increasing reparative blood flow to the muscles. 

Another sports hydration trick I like to do with watermelon juice is to mix it with an electrolyte drink mix for even more “oomph” on those days when I’m slogging through many miles in the Texas heat. To save money and have more control over the ingredients (I don’t want artificial colors or flavorings), using a recipe for homemade electrolyte powder (with sodium, potassium and magnesium) is the ideal mix in for watermelon juice. I also water down the watermelon juice too so the natural sweetness doesn’t overwhelm me when I’m out there working hard in the sun and my stomach is a little off.

There are several ways source watermelon juice. It’s can be expensive, but purchasing already prepared is an option. But buyer beware, make sure you are getting the actual juice and not some sort of sugar-added drink.  If you want a lot of juice in a hurry, you can put cubed watermelon in your blender, blend up and pour through a strainer to pull the pulp off (Watermelon.org has a great demonstration of how to make watermelon juice this way).

BUT the method usually share when people ask “how to make easy watermelon juice” is to just pour it off the container of my big watermelon I buy every week in the summer. Once cut, juice slowly seeps out and I always pour it off every morning to drink later – even freezing portions. ALL OF THE WATERMELON JUICE you seen in that sports bottle above was poured off the cutting up of a single watermelon.  But that makes total sense actually, as watermelons are nearly 93% water!

Drop me a comment if you try the watermelon workout or making watermelon juice!

Asian Beef Filet Mignon with Gochujang Butter (Good Chop Meat & Seafood Box Review)

Posted on by
2

Asian Filet Mignon with Gochujang Butter makes a delicious, decadent and yet, dare I say, fast-and-easy steak night dinner ready in just 20 minutes.

Asian Beef Filet Mignon with Gochugang Compound Butter

For this Gochujang steak, I’ve used grass-fed filet mignon from Good Chop, a meat a seafood subscription service (keep reading on to get the recipe and get my Good Chop review).

Beef, chicken, pork and seafood from Good Chop, a high-quality subscription box delivering all your favorite proteins to your doorstep.
Don’t miss my Good Chop review and savings details at the bottom of post!

Perfect for date night or every night, this Asian steak recipe starts with a simple wet rub of soy sauce, ginger and garlic that is then pan seared and finished in the oven. Preparing a filet mignon in the skillet and then oven finishing is one of my favorite methods, it creates such a delicious crust.

This elegant but very easy steak dinner is sure to make any date night or even week night more memorable. Asian Filet Mignon with Spicy Sweet Gochujang Butter. Beef is rubbed ginger, garlic and soy sauce before pan searing and finishing in oven. The decadent compound butter, melts atop the meat at serving to create a luxurious sauce.
Pin this for later!

Or, check out the entire Pinterest Story for more details.

Beef tenderloin and filet mignon (the coveted steak cut from the tenderest tail end of the loin) are favorite cuts of mine because the texture is “melt in your mouth” tender, and this inherent tenderness means that there is no need for a texture-improving marinade that can often take hours. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Also, despite being so succulent, filet mignon is an incredible lean cut – the 100% grass-fed filets from Good Chop are generous-sized and have only 12g fat per 6-ounce serving with a whopping 36g protein.

Adding flavor to beef filet mignon steaks
Filet mignon is so tender, it doesn’t need a marinade – but a quick wet rub of garlic, ginger and soy sauce add extra flavor!

Instead, filet mignon recipes, despite their elegance, are almost always simple and easy – only a light seasoning (even just salt and pepper) or a simple wet rub (like the one I used) can make a filet mignon steak recipe even MORE next level.  

For even more flavor to complement the beef filets, I made a compound butter with Gochujang and lightly sweetened it with honey. Gochujang paste is fundamental to Korean cooking and is made from red chile pepper flakes, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. The red past is spicy-sweet and bumps up the umami taste in beef recipes. After mixing up the ingredients, stick in the freezer to get the Gochujang compound butter to set up fast – then serve atop the hot filet mignon and watch it slowly melt into a sauce that will knock your socks off without being too spicy. I also love how the lightly sweet spicy compound butter also spreads over the veggies on my plate.

Gochujang Compund Butter - thefitfork.com
Compound butter us an easy way to turn simple steaks into an upscale dining experience.

In addition to Korean steak, any leftover Gochujang butter can be added as a flavor-enhancer for simple steamed vegetables, spread on bread and toasted, dolloped on hot noodles or rice – you get the idea, it’s delicious!  

So, let me give you my Good Chop, review! This subscription service brings you quality proteins exclusively from American family farms and fisheries. It’s a convenient and surprisingly cost-effective way to source my protein – I definitely appreciate not having to drive all over town to source top-quality meats and seafood. There are never any antibiotics or hormones in Good Chop products and premium options like USDA Prime beef and 100% grass-fed beef are also available.

Beef, chicken, pork and seafood from Good Chop, a high-quality subscription box delivering all your favorite proteins to your doorstep.

Of course, being a beef-loving girl, I made a beeline for the filet mignon steaks! But, variety in protein choices is best for a balanced diet and the cool thing about a Good Chop subscription box is that it can also be customized to include other protein options (including pork, chicken and seafood) that are just as top-quality as the beef featured here today. Visit Good Chop today to learn more about their sourcing specifications and what beef, chicken, pork, and seafood options are available for your own custom meat subscription box.

Beef, chicken, pork and seafood from Good Chop, a high-quality subscription box delivering all your favorite proteins to your doorstep.

Seriously, the convenience of having quality meat and seafood shipped to your house is unmatched – especially in this day and age where many of us are minimizing so much of our in-person shopping due to busy schedules and/or wanting to minimize contact. Boxes are delivered every four weeks, and you can pick a plan that is best for you – either 6 menu items (up to 36 portions) or 12 menu items (up to 72 portions) per delivery. Good Chop delivers pretty much everywhere in the lower 48 US states. They email you tracking links to alert you when delivery is expected, so you don’t have to worry about it sitting out on your porch all day. That being said, my meat subscription box was delivered in 100-degree temperatures, sat on my porch for two hours, and upon opening the dry ice had kept everything frozen solid, no signs of thawing at all. Of course, they have a money-back, satisfaction-guaranteed policy and you can cancel at any time. Also, love the mindful shipping materials – it’s all fully curbside recyclable, even the insulated liners made from plant-based components.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Good Chop and contains affiliate links, however all comments, opinions and enthusiasm remain my own. I earn a small commission from referred subscriptions, but the price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to offset operating costs for The Fit Fork, thank you for your support.

5 from 2 votes
This elegant but very easy steak dinner is sure to make any date night or even week night more memorable. And, only 20 minutes prep to plate. Asian Filet Mignon with Spicy Sweet Gochujang Butter. Beef is rubbed ginger, garlic and soy sauce before pan searing and finishing in oven. The decadent compound butter, melts atop the meat at serving to create a luxurious sauce that adds just the right amount of heat.
Print
Asian Beef Filet Mignon with Gochujang Butter
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Course: dinner, entree
Cuisine: Asian, fusion, korean
Keyword: beef, compound butter, filet, gochujang, steak
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
  • For steaks:
  • 2 beef filet mignon steaks cut 1-3/4 to 2 inches thick (about 12 to 14-ounces total)
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce divided
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger divided
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • For Gochujang compound butter:
  • 1/2 stick 2-ounces butter, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoons gochujang paste find on Asian condiment aisle
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Parchment or wax paper for storing optional
Instructions
  1. Ahead of time or at the start of preparing steaks, make Gochujang compound butter by simply mixing together softened butter, Gochujang past, garlic, sesame oil, lemon juice honey and black pepper until combined. May leave in bowl or wrap up in Parchment paper, twisting off ends. Stick in freezer while steaks cook to firm up.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  3. Brush beef filets with soy sauce. Press minced ginger and garlic evenly onto beef, set aside.
  4. Heat ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) to medium-high on stove top until very hot, add olive oil.
  5. Place filets in skillet and sear for approximately two minutes per side, until a caramelized crust has formed and they release from the skillet without sticking.
  6. Place skillet into preheated oven.
  7. Continue to cook in 400°F oven for approximately 10 to 15 more minutes (total time will vary based on thickness of steaks and desired level of doneness)* See recipe notes
  8. Remove steaks from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
  9. While steaks are still warm (but not hot, hot), top with a slice or smear of Gochujang butter. It will melt to make a decadent sauce.
  10. Store remaining butter, covered, in refrigerator for up to a week. It’s great on rice, noodles, toast, and steamed vegetables.
Recipe Notes

Medium rare: 130-135° (remove from heat at 125° )
Medium: 135-145° (remove from heat at 130° )
Medium well: 145-155°. (remove from heat at 140° )

Note: The reason you take steaks off the heat BEFORE the desired finish temperature is because they will continue to cook (with temperature rising 7° on average) as they rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Crispy Low-carb Onion Rings Baked in Air Fryer OR Oven

Posted on by
7

Crispy Low-carb Onion Rings for Air Fryer OR Oven let you ditch the deep fryer AND excess carbs. Baked up ridiculously crunchy with a coating that includes crushed pork rinds and parmesan cheese, this faux-fried treat will satisfy your cravings!

Crispy, crunchy and quick, these baked onion rings are lower in carbs thanks to a coating that includes keto-friendly ingredients like crushed pork rinds, Parmesan cheese and coconut flour. A delicious appetizer, game day snack or side dish for steak, burgers and more!

I serve these pork rind onion rings with whatever dipping sauce suits my mood at the moment, today it was kimchi aioli.  You’ll totally be winning the keto game with this for a game day appetizer or anytime side dish. Makes 4 servings, 136 calories, 5.5g fat, 6.9g net carb and 8.6g protein

Who knew pork rinds (along with Parmesan cheese, coconut flour and an egg wash) could be used to make a crunchy, crispy coating for onions and other baked foods – trying a similar coating soon for asparagus and as a topping for fish so stay tuned!

Crispy, crunchy and quick, these baked onion rings are lower in carbs thanks to a coating that includes keto-friendly ingredients like crushed pork rinds, Parmesan cheese and coconut flour. A delicious appetizer, game day snack or side dish for steak, burgers and more!

When it comes to choosing the pork rinds for these baked keto onion rings, I hit up a variety pack of pork rinds I had on hand and have made several batches that are switched up in seasoning a little bit depending on the flavor of pork rind I crushed up. If you want to make life REALLY EASY, you can also skip the pork rind crushing step and just use a product where all the work has been done for you, like this Pork Panko

Pro tip for prepping the keto onion rings: Use a separate hand for dipping the onion in the egg-cream wash and a separate hand for dunking in the two sets of dry ingredients. This will help keep your fingers from getting so gunked up.

Crispy, crunchy and quick, these baked onion rings are lower in carbs thanks to a coating that includes keto-friendly ingredients like crushed pork rinds, Parmesan cheese and coconut flour. A delicious appetizer, game day snack or side dish for steak, burgers and more!

I love a large capacity air fryer and double rack because I can fit ALL THE BAKED ONION RINGS in there at once. But if you have a smaller one, don’t fret – the recipe is quick enough that you cook them in two sessions (that way, you’ll have more hot ones ready once you finish eating the first batch)!!  The recipe turns out amazing in the traditional oven too, especially if you use a mesh crisping tray to ensure hot air circulates all around the pork-rind onion rings while baking.

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission for purchases, but the price to you remains the same. Thank you for supporting The Fit Fork.

5 from 2 votes
Crispy, crunchy and quick, these baked onion rings are lower in carbs thanks to a coating that includes keto-friendly ingredients like crushed pork rinds, Parmesan cheese and coconut flour. A delicious appetizer, game day snack or side dish for steak, burgers and more!
Print
Low-Carb Baked Onion Rings Baked in Air Fryer or Oven
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Crispy, crunchy and quick, these baked onion rings are lower in carbs thanks to a coating that includes keto-friendly ingredients like crushed pork rinds, Parmesan cheese and coconut flour. A delicious appetizer, game day snack or side dish for steak, burgers and more!

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword: gluten free, low carb, pork rind, red onion
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 medium to large white or yellow onion peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tbsp. half-and-half or cream
  • 1- ounce pork rinds
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven or Air Fryer to 425 F degrees.
  2. Slice onions into approximate ½” slices, discarding any small rings in the center (chop up and save for another use).
  3. Whisk together eggs and cream in shallow bowl.
  4. Crush pork rinds into a coarse powder by placing in a zip-top baggie and flattening with a rolling pin or in food processor.
  5. In another bowl, add the crushed pork rinds, Parmesan cheese and paprika.
  6. In a third bowl, add coconut flour.
  7. Dip each onion ring in coconut flour mixture, then egg mixture, and then pork rind-cheese mixture. Repeat process with each ring to double coat them.
  8. Place onion rings in a single layer on a mesh baking tray or in the Air Fryer basket, lightly sprayed with oil. To maximize space, put smaller onion rings inside bigger rings (as long as they are not touching).
  9. Bake in oven OR Air Fryer for about 12 to 15* minutes, until crispy and turning golden brown. For maximum crispiness, open basket and lightly spray tops with oil spray half way through cooking time.
  10. Serve warm with dipping sauce of choice.
  11. *Oven temperatures can take up to 5 minutes longer.
Recipe Notes

Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping

Posted on by
3

This post is sponsored as part of a blogger recipe challenge hosted by Lucky Foods.

One bite of these delicious beef stuffed peppers and your taste buds will be immediately high-fiving the flavor receptors your gustatory cortex (that’s the part of your brain responsible for the perception of taste).  

Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle

 This recipe for Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle definitely has some funky fusion flavor. It’s all inspired by Korean street food and some of my favorite Tex-Mex Southern cooking techniques – like stuffing peppers with stuff and putting buttery cracker crumb toppings on anything and everything.

roasted poblano peppers - thefitfork.com

I love stuffing and roasting peppers with beef and other delicious ingredients but I decided to think beyond Chile Rellenos. Putting delicious Korean BBQ in a Poblano pepper just seemed like a mouth-watering thing to do – my hunch was correct!

Making Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle

Caramelized onions and very thinly sliced sirloin steak* come together in a couple hot minutes in a skillet, and are married with a sauce with sweet-savory flavor and a pop of ginger. I used the convenient and very authentic Kalbi Sauce from Lucky foods.

 In one of my Tex Mex pepper creations, I’d typically go overboard on cheese – but that didn’t seem like a match for this Asian stuffed pepper recipe. Instead, a light-bulb went off with “buttery crumb topping” lighting up in my mind.

Gochujang paste - thefitfork.com

Kinda like those rich and buttery crumb toppings made with classic crackers like Ritz or Club Crackers us Southerners like to put on near everything, from casseroles to fish to fruit desserts. Except, I made this a spicy cracker crumb topping using Gochujang paste (again from Lucky Foods) in the melted butter. These lightly spicy and umami-elevated buttery crumbs pile on top the beef mixture and hit the broiler to crisp up and turn golden buttery brown.

Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle

Finally, a drizzle of creamy Kimchi mayo from Lucky foods for the finishing touch along with some cool, fresh shaved green onion stalk, carrot and cilantro. Every bite of this Korean BBQ pepper so good, so many directions of texture and flavor.

An Asian street-food inspired stuffed poblano pepper made with sirloin beef, caramelized onions, a sweet-savory Kalbi sauce, plus unique crispy cracker topping and kimchi mayo finish -- it's a creative and unique fusion! You'll love this quirky but delicious dish for Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle. Sponsored by Lucky Foods.

Making this recipe inspired by Asian street food was so easy thanks to Lucky Foods. Lucky Foods is a proud purveyor of Asian heritage-inspired foods with clean ingredients. The family behind this family-run business immigrated to the US in the 70s, started with a single restaurant, then a popular spring roll product, and now has expanded to include a variety of wholesome products. These Asian condiments include the Korean and fusion sauces I used in this recipe (under the Seoul label) using fresh ingredients and aromatic spices – you will never find MSG, GMOS, or added colors and/or preservations in any products from Lucky Foods.

Learn more about Lucky Foods products, where to purchase them, and more recipe ideas at LuckyFood.com or on Facebook and Instagram

For a more interactive demo of the recipe, please visit my Idea Pin on Pinterest.

5 from 1 vote
An Asian street-food inspired stuffed poblano pepper made with sirloin beef, caramelized onions, a sweet-savory Kalbi sauce, plus unique crispy cracker topping and kimchi mayo finish -- it's a creative and unique fusion! You'll love this quirky but delicious dish for Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle. Sponsored by Lucky Foods.
Print
Korean BBQ Beef-stuffed Peppers with Gochujang Butter Crumb Topping and Kimchi Mayo Drizzle
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

Inspired by Asian street food, this dish of Korean BBQ beef stuffed peppers is bursting with insane spicy, sweet flavor and a unique crunchy crumb topping with a hint of heat!

Course: Appetizer, dinner
Cuisine: Asian, fusion, korean
Keyword: beef, kalbi, poblano, stuffed pepper
Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 poblano peppers halved, ribs and seeds removed
  • 1 cup finely sliced/chopped white onion
  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 1/2 lb. sirloin steak very, very thinly sliced (or equivalent “steak-umm” type product)
  • 1/3 cup Kalbi sauce I used Lucky Foods brand
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. Gochujang paste I used Lucky Foods brand
  • 10 + buttery crackers like Ritz or Club crackers crushed to make about ½ cup crumbs
  • ¼ cup Kimchi Mayo I used Lucky Foods brand
  • Garnish as desired: shaved green onion stalks carrots, cilantro, etc.
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350F degrees. Place prepped peppers in a baking dish, cut side ups. Roast in oven for approximately 20 minutes or until softening and lightly browning on edges.
  2. Meanwhile, add chopped onion to skilled with oil and stir constantly over medium heat until turning a dark golden brown. Stir in coconut sugar and cook for an additional minute, taking care not to burn. Transfer to plate.
  3. Stir fry beef quickly over medium-high heat, for just two to three minutes until just barely cooked through. Add onions back in and cook, stirring, for another minute. Stir in Kalbi sauce.
  4. Stuff beef mixture into roasted peppers.
  5. Melt butter in small skillet, stir in Gochujang paste until combined. Stir in cracker crumbs.
  6. Pile buttered cracker crumbs over top of beef mixture in peppers. Stick under broiler on High for about 2 minutes, or until browning and getting crunchy on top.
  7. Remove and drizzle with Kimchi mayo and garnish with desired ingredients such as shaved green onion stalks, carrots, cilantro, etc.
Recipe Notes

Note: Instead of slicing sirloin, I used an equivalent amount frozen sirloin patties (pre-sliced and formed) found in the freezer meat section.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake

Posted on by
4

Love a hearty, hot meal in the morning, like one of my favorite make-ahead breakfast casseroles – Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake. Wholesome goodness baked up in a 9”x13” dish, ready to cut into satisfying, satiating, super scrumptious squares.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.

Lots of protein (21g per serving) and enough carbs to give me some get-up and go, but not be “over the top.” I rely on (thawed) frozen hash brown potatoes to give me that delicious energy I need for my runs and workouts. Eggs and cheese (boosted by some blended cottage cheese) add extra protein power along with the ground chicken breast. Plus, SO MUCH flavor from roasted Hatch green chilies – I just love them!

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO TUTORIAL ON PINTEREST HERE!

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
Pin this for later!!

No surprise, I love these mild to medium (some varieties hot) peppers from the hallowed grounds of New Mexico. I’ve written a lot of blog posts on Hatch Green Chile recipes and tips (here’s a useful post) – and I’ve also been the champion of a Hatch Green Chile Cookoff here in Austin, Texas. A recent Hatch Green Chile recipe is 15 minute Baked Shrimp in Hatch Green Chile Sauce.

These green chiles are definitely a fan favorite for their earthy bite that doesn’t burn too much (really some are quite mild, which I think works well to compliment the flavors of both chicken and eggs). When hatch peppers aren’t in season (August – September), I rely on the Hatch Green Chile Store to quell my cravings!

Beef Egg Potato Bake Breakfast Casserole - TheFitFork.com
  • This chicken green chile casserole recipe was inspired by one of my most popular and best breakfast casserole recipes – Barn-raiser Beef & Egg Bake, a real winner that has been featured in Taste of Home and also on the Hallmark Home & Family Show.

Of course, I changed this Hatch Green Chicken Egg Bake up a bit to be a super star in its own right, but recipe concept is very similar – create a base of thawed frozen hash browns in casserole dish, pour over a mixture of cooked ground meat, veggies, etc., and then pour over an egg-milk-cheese mixture that soaks down through all the layers to create a tender but firm casserole that cuts nicely into squares that hold their shape.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
Layer up in a 9″x 13″ casserole dish and bake 60 minutes.

Big enough to serve a crowd at brunch, but this breakfast egg bake with green chiles can also be cooled and frozen in single-serving portions. Then, either defrost overnight in the fridge (or on “defrost” in the microwave) before re-heating for about 60 seconds on high in microwave.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.

Per serving: 304 calories, 16g carbs, 16g fat, 21g protein!!! It will keep you filled up for a while without busting your calorie budget.

Auto Amazon Links: No products found.

5 from 3 votes
Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
Print
Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
cool
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 

This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb — 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.

Course: Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: chicken, egg, make ahead, meal prep
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 304 kcal
Ingredients
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped white onion
  • 1 lb. ground chicken breast
  • 1 oz. packet chicken taco season mix like McCormick’s
  • ¼ cup water
  • 4 cups fresh spinach coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup chopped roasted green chiles Hatch Green Chili Store
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro divided
  • 14 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese or blended cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese divided
  • 4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes thawed
  • ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Heat large skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil and onions, sauté for 1 minute. Add ground chicken breast and brown, crumbling into small pieces, for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through well. The chicken is low-fat, so there will be nothing to drain.
  3. Stir in water and taco seasoning, stir over heat to combine.
  4. Add, chopped green chiles, chopped spinach and 3 tbsp. of chopped cilantro to skillet, stir over heat until spinach wilted.
  5. Whisk together eggs, milk and ricotta cheese (or blended cottage cheese).
  6. Stir 2/3 of shredded Monterey Jack cheese into egg mixture (reserve remainder)
  7. Place shredded hash browns in bottom of 9” x 13” casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt.
  8. Spoon chicken taco mixture evenly over hash browns.
  9. Pour egg mixture over taco mixture.
  10. Top with remaining cheese.
  11. Bake for 50 minutes or until center set.
  12. Let cook 5 minutes before slicing into 12 squares.
  13. For meal prep, portions may be frozen in airtight container and then defrosted and reheated, as needed.
Recipe Notes

This post contains affiliate links.