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Home » Blog

Chicken Caruso - Easy Weekday Meal

Published: Jan 26, 2021 by Heidi Fowler. This post may contain affiliate links 35 Comments

Today I'm sharing a quick and easy, kid-friendly family favorite:  Chicken Caruso.  I've been eating this meal since I was a kid, and now my kids love it, too.  My favorite thing about this recipe?  When the kids hear what's for dinner, they say, "Yay!" instead of, "But I don't like that!"


Busy Day Chicken Caruso {Your family will love this quick and easy meal made with leftover chicken.  Even my picky eaters love it!}  #glutenfree

Hopefully, this recipe will make mealtime more pleasant at your house too!  It's quick, easy, and can be made with leftovers.  (The best part for a mom with a Celiac kiddo?  The only ingredient needed to make it gluten free is gluten-free pasta.)

Chicken Caruso--Your family will love this quick and easy recipe created with leftover chicken

Chicken Caruso

  • 1-1 ½ c macaroni (I used Heartland Gluten Free Fusili Pasta, but any pasta will work)
  • 1 small onion (chopped)
  • 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
  • 6-8 slices of bacon--regular or turkey (cooked and crumbled)
  • 1-2 c cooked cubed chicken (leftover rotisserie chicken works great)
  • 1 c (or more) cooked peas
  • salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.  While pasta is cooking, cook peas and fry bacon and onion together.  (Turkey bacon cooks much more slowly than onions.  If you use turkey bacon, cook the bacon partially before adding the onions.)  Drain grease and return to pan.  Add cooked macaroni and remaining ingredients.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well, and reheat if necessary.

Enjoy!

Chicken Caruso--Your family will love this quick and easy recipe created with leftover chicken

Chicken Caruso--Your family will love this quick and easy recipe created with leftover chicken

Before we get on with the party, have you seen some of my other yummy gluten-free recipes?  The images below are linked:

No-Fail Millet Oatmeal Gluten Free Bread {Perfect Recipe for beginning GF Cooks} OneCreativeMommy.com

Prize-winning Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing and Sugared Almonds {OneCreativeMommy.com}

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar from OneCreativeMommy.com {Sweet and Tangy--Yum!}

heiAuthor's Signature - Heidi

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About Heidi

Hi! I’m Heidi, the sometimes scatterbrained, but always creative mind behind One Creative Mommy. I'm a retired teacher, wife, and mom of three beautiful teenage girls and one adorable fur baby. In my spare time, I love to share my ideas (mistakes and all) with anyone who will listen.

Learn more about me →

Comments

  1. Sandi

    November 12, 2012 at 6:35 am

    Thanks for hosting! Its great to have so many wonderful gluten free recipes in one spot!
    This week I'm sharing my Basic Bread recipe that is not only gluten free, but yeast, dairy and sugar free as well! Hope you enjoy it!
    http://www.sandisallergyfreerecipes.com/2012/11/basic-bread-gluten-free-yeast-freesugar.html
    Have a great week!

    Reply
  2. Julie Moore

    November 12, 2012 at 7:42 am

    Thank you for featuring my Garlic Mashed Potatoes! :) I grabbed a feature button.

    This week, I linked up 2 recipes:

    1. Pumpkin Smoothies (Soy, Fish, Nut, Egg and Wheat-Free, Can Be Milk-Free and Diabetic Friendly). This is a delicious and super easy alternative to Pumpkin Pie!

    2. Orange Cranberry Muffins (Soy, Fish and Nut-Free, Can Be Egg, Wheat and Milk-Free). These are my ultimate favorite muffin.

    Thanks for hosting, as always, Heidi! :)

    Reply
  3. Jennifer @ 20 something allergies and counting...down

    November 12, 2012 at 8:34 am

    Thanks for hosting Heidi!

    This week, I'm sharing another real food recipe, and you don't have to be a hardcore real foodie to enjoy it. ;) Mustard braised rabbit is a perfect cold weather dish. It's grain-free and safe for those with almost all food allergies (except mustard of course). I also share how I make my absolute favorite condiment, kombucha brown mustard, for the first time.

    Mustard Braised Rabbit
    http://www.20somethingallergies.com/mustard-braised-rabbit/

    Reply
  4. Danielle @ Poor and Gluten Free

    November 12, 2012 at 9:51 am

    Thanks for hosting, Heidi :) This week I've shared a recipe for baked, coconut breaded Swiss chard stems. It's just one of the ways I use up all those pretty stems left over from making green juice and steamed veggies :)

    Reply
  5. Vicky

    November 12, 2012 at 10:52 am

    Hi! Thank you for hosting! I shared my almond milk recipe today. Have a lovely week!

    Reply
  6. Dina-Marie @ Cultured Palate

    November 12, 2012 at 11:45 am

    Thanks for hosting! I am posting from the first time from my new site "Cultured Palate" and am sharing two items. First, I shared a Video on How to Make Yogurt which is so easy without a yogurt maker. Second, I shared Pumpkin Preparation.
    Have a great week!

    http://myculturedpalate.com/blog/2012/11/07/making-yogurt-video-class/

    Reply
  7. Anne-Marie Cain

    November 12, 2012 at 1:49 pm

    Thanks for hosting! This week I'm sharing my recipe for a low-carb mock sweet potato casserole made with cauliflower and roasted butternut squash. It's also grain-free and sugar-free! :)

    http://www.annemariecain.com/sweet-faux-tato-casserole-low-carb/

    Anne-Marie

    Reply
  8. Tessa@The Domestic Diva

    November 12, 2012 at 10:00 pm

    Hi Heidi! Thank for featuring my Chicken Marbella! I shared three more goodies this week: A great basic gluten free stuffing, a quick and fun cookie pop, and a Paleo pepperoni pizza casserole!

    Reply
  9. Tiffany/MyCrowdedKitchen

    November 13, 2012 at 11:02 pm

    Thank you for dropping by my place and for inviting me to your lovely link party. Looking forward to visiting others. Have a great week!

    Reply
  10. Heather @Gluten-Free Cat

    November 14, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    What a great event! I'm so glad that I can finally participate. My computer died on Sunday! So a little late, but I've linked up my Raw Soaked Granola.

    Great chicken recipe! I'd just have to make it without the peas. There are exactly 3 foods in the world that I dislike, and peas are one of them. Isn't that terrible? A foodie who doesn't like peas?

    Have a great week!

    Heather

    Reply
  11. Jessi @ Practically Functional

    November 16, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    Ooh yum, that looks delicious! Thanks for sharing at The Fun In Functional!

    Reply
  12. Marcie

    November 17, 2012 at 4:31 pm

    I love pasta, this sounds really good. Thanks so much for sharing on "I GottaTry That"

    Have a great Thanksgiving.

    Marcie

    Reply
  13. Danielle @ Poor and Gluten Free

    November 19, 2012 at 8:18 pm

    This looks delicious and simple! Thanks for sharing it on Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, I've pinned it on my WNWN board, too :)

    Reply
  14. [email protected]

    November 22, 2012 at 3:45 pm

    Featuring YOU today! Hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving.

    Ginger @ GingerSnapCrafts.com

    http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2012/11/take-look-at-you-my-favorite.html

    Reply
  15. Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma)

    December 09, 2012 at 8:10 pm

    Thanks for linking up at Gluten Free Fridays, its always great to see what you share! :) I have this recipe pinned to our pinterest board!

    Reply
  16. Paula

    May 12, 2013 at 3:20 pm

    Wow, love this. Pinned to my SD board. Thanks for joining Saturday Dishes. ~ Paula

    Reply
  17. Holly

    February 09, 2015 at 6:07 pm

    Made this tonight when I googled "leftover chicken." YUM! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Holly

      February 09, 2015 at 6:08 pm

      ...the chicken caruso!

      Reply

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Headshot of Heidi, owner of One Creative Mommy and All Things Lovely

Hi! I’m Heidi, the sometimes scatterbrained, but always creative mind behind One Creative Mommy. I’m a retired teacher, wife, and mom of three beautiful girls and two adorable fur babies. In my spare time, I love to share my ideas (mistakes and all) with anyone who will listen.

More about me →

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