The Lynyrd Simmer: Nothing like adding some Southern cookin’ secrets to that simmering pot to amp it up. Start by seasoning your chicken broth with a little Creole blend with plenty of black pepper and cayenne to add some spice. Add vegetables like okra or collard green to make it authentic and healthier to boot! Thinking about fried chicken? Float a few FreeBird Chicken Nuggets or some Popcorn Chicken on the top and you’re ready to rock.

Carlos Santana Chicken and Rice Soup: Start with grilled FreeBird chicken strips in your favorite broth. Add rice, black beans and corn. Season with chili powder and cumin until you’ve got some serious spice singing to those sinuses. Looking to turn up the volume even higher? Add some green chilies to the pot and let it roll.

Bob Dylan’s Bubbe’s Secret: Jewish Penicillin is hard to beat. Start with plenty of onions, celery and carrots. Season with parley and dill. If you’re up for the task, finish this off with light, fluffy matzah balls. Of course, as Bubbe would tell you herself, the same bowl prepared with egg noodles is certainly nothing to sneeze at.

Boneless, skinless chicken breast is high in protein and low in fat, which means it’s perfect for those who want to lose weight, promote heart health or simply maintain a healthy diet. The best thing about it is that it’s so versatile, you can pair it up with just about anything. Here’s a list of some of favorite easy flavor combos that we’ve served over the years.

The Turkish Delight: Place your FreeBird chicken breast on the grill. While it’s cooking, combine orange segments, thinly sliced fennel, thinly sliced red onion and some chopped mint in a bowl. Season with a touch of cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne and salt.

Pesto Perfecto: Rather than relying on store bought pesto that is sometimes loaded with sodium, blend your own in the food processor or standing blender while searing a chicken breast on the stove. Combine basil, olive oil, garlic and pine nuts and process until pureed. Switch it up, by substituting arugula, mint or cilantro for half or all of the basil.

The Suncoast Combo: Pan sear chicken breast on a stovetop, then transfer to a clean plate and keep warm. Toss artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives and a little bit of garlic back into the pan. Deglaze with white wine and season with salt and pepper.

Chicken in the Woods: Once you’ve browned your chicken breast, it’s easy to create a pan sauce with mushrooms and balsamic. Follow this recipe for Chicken Paillards with Porcini-Cider Sauce to find out how it’s done.

Salsa Fresca Chicken: Grill chicken breast until it’s golden brown. While it cooks, combine cherry tomatoes, diced onions, garlic, avocado, cilantro. Season with a squeeze of lime juice and serve on sliced chicken.

Get Prepared: Don’t confuse prepared foods with fast food. There are plenty of great prepared options, like FreeBird Chicken Nuggets, Grilled Strips, Patties and Popcorn Chicken that cut your cooking time in half, while providing a wholesome starting point. And if you think those little nuggets are just for the kids, we’ve got a salad recipe that’ll put a whole new spin on the way you think.

Bulk Up: Don’t let your recipes dictate the way you chop and prep your veggies. Instead, mince, chop, peel and dice ingredients like onions, garlic, herbs and raw vegetables in bulk when you return from the grocer and store in air tight containers. When you’re ready to cook, just gather the prepped ingredients that suit your recipe and get rollin’. Dinner will be done in a matter of minutes.

Think Thin: It’s simple science. A big bulky piece of meat takes quite a bit longer to cook than its skinny little cutlet cousin. Ask your butcher to pound a few boneless, skinless FreeBird chicken breasts for you and you’ll save even more time at home.

Go Raw: There’s hardly a quicker meal than a prepared rotisserie chicken on a bed of greens. Make it exciting, without adding tremendous cooking times, by adding raw vegetables like little sweet 100 tomatoes, avocados, and shredded carrots. Feeling like something a little out of the ordinary? Pair sliced apples, pears or orange segments with spiced nuts and crumbled feta, goat or blue cheese.  No cooking, rockin’ recipes.

Freeze!: O.K., up front it’s no time saver, BUT if you make a big batch of soup, cook enough noodles for two casseroles or braise eight chicken legs, rather than four. You’ll have plenty to freeze for the next time crunch. Consider double batches on the weekends, when cooking is a joy. Cash in on your creations, during the week and they’ll taste even better than the first time around!

How does Big Bowl build a great menu? By sourcing the best food of course. FreeBird’s been their chicken of choice for years now.

Read the full story to find out why we love working with them. Warning: This article will make your mouth water!

Southwestern Pot Pie: Add FreeBird chicken, green chilies and corn to your pot pie filling and spice it up with chili powder and some ground cumin. Rather than thickening with heavy cream or a buttery roux, stir in masa harina to create a rich, more interesting sauce. Top the whole dish with crushed tortilla chips.

Kansas City Pot Pie: Consider a BBQ sauce base and go from there. With grilled FreeBird chicken strips and baked beans mixed in, this pot pie will literally burst with flavor. The traditional flakey piecrust or buttermilk biscuits create a terrific contrast with the spiciness inside.

New Orleans Pot Pie: Spice up your pot pie with gumbo file and other Cajun spices. A little anduille sausage, chopped tomatoes and okra added to the ingredient mix will give it a world of flavor. Not sure how to top that? Cornbread baked on top, of course!

California Style Pot Pie: Swap out those traditional carrots and peas for artichokes and fava beans. Add roasted chicken, lemon zest and plenty of fresh herbs to make your sauce taste bright and sunny. No need for piecrust. Just top with diced or crumbled sourdough bread tossed with olive oil and bake until golden.

What’s your favorite recipe for chicken pot pie?

The Wingding Delight: Toss tender pieces of rotisserie-roasted chicken with buffalo-style hot sauce. Place on pizza dough and cover with crumbled blue cheese and bake until crisp. Serve hot out of the oven topped with finely diced celery.

The Chicken Marsala Special: Sauté chicken with sliced mushrooms and season with garlic, parsley and a splash of marsala. Sprinkle on top of your crust and top with shredded asiago cheese. Bake until bubbly and golden.

Grilled Chicken Fajita Pizza: Spread refried beans on a cornmeal crust and drizzle with your favorite salsa. Top with grilled onions, peppers and FreeBird Grilled Chicken. Finish it off with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and pop it into the oven until crisp and delicious.

Tapenade Chicken Pizza: Who needs to be tethered to tomato sauce? Spread tapenade on your next crust and top with sliced FreeBird chicken and sundried tomatoes. Sprinkle with feta or Parmesan and brush with a little olive oil before baking.

Need a recipe that’s a little more specific? Try our Rosemary, Potato and Caramelized Onion Grilled Pizza today.

Feeling inspired? Send us your photos of your favorite creations and we’ll share ‘em with the rest of the groupies.

• Work the Wings. If the NFL could have an edible mascot, it would most likely be the Buffalo wing. The spicier the better. Of course, why stop with Buffalo-style, when an infinite number of flavor options could change the game altogether. Try spicy things up with a chipotle honey glaze or turning on going for a sweet and spicy soy marinade for a change.  We’ve got an Apricot Glazed Chicken Wing recipe that’ll keep everyone cheering.
• Turn on the Heat. What’s stopping a sandwich from taking the game? With a little flame from the grill, this humdrum underdog is destined for a break away. Heat up a few FreeBird Patties with melted mozzarella and your favorite tomato sauce for a wave-worthy Chicken Parm. Want serious flavor without any work? Fire up a pre-marinated chicken breast and top with a little cole slaw for a kickin’ Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich.
• Stick It. Spend a little pre-game time with the family prepping for the big day. Gather a variety of cut veggies, like peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes and squash and cube up some chicken to make your kebabs. Marinate them before heading off to the game and grill them up while waiting for kick-off. Extra points for sticking with your team colors!