Cooking up Change at Home: Lonestar Chicken Chili Sub

March 16, 2015 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign

Make the winning recipe from Houston’s 2014 Cooking up Change contest.

Ever wish you could try the winning dishes from Cooking up Change? Well, here’s your chance. Each month, we’ll share a Cooking up Change recipe and cooking instructions so you can try the meal out at home and taste firsthand these delicious recipes and experience how these students are changing the future of school food.

Healthy Schools Campaign’s Cooking up Change contest challenges high school culinary students to create a healthy and delicious school meal that can be served in a school cafeteria. Cooking up Change is not only fun and educational, it also adds student voices to the national conversation about school food.

The 2015 Houston Cooking up Change competition is happening on March 28. We wish all the teams luck and know they’ll create dishes just as delicious as this one. Read more about the 2014 winning team from Houston.

Team: Westside High School

Lonestar Chicken Chili Sub (serves four)

Ingredients:

• 9 oz Fajita chicken strips
• 12 oz Tomato sauce, no salt added
• 1 cup Black Beans (canned), drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Canola oil
• ½ cup Red bell peppers, washed, small diced
• ½ cup Green bell peppers, washed, small diced
• 2 tablespoon Jalapenos (canned), small diced
• 4 Whole wheat sub rolls
• 2 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Combine chicken, beans, tomato sauce and chili powder in a medium saucepot.
2. On low-medium heat, bring to a simmer (cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F).
3. While sauce is simmering, heat 1 tsp oil in medium skillet. Sauté bell peppers and jalapeno for 5-7 minutes. Then add peppers to chili mixture.
4. To serve, ladle ¼ chili mixture onto each sub roll. Top with ½ ounce of cheddar cheese.

Grilled Veggies (serves four)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Water
• ¼ cup Orange juice
• 2 cups Carrots, washed, peeled, cut into sticks (1/4 inch x 1/4 inch x 2 inch)
• 2 cups Zucchini squash, washed, cut into sticks (1/4 inch x 1/4 inch x 2 inch)
• 2 tablespoon Honey

Directions:

1. Add water and orange juice to medium size pot. Bring to a boil.
2. Add carrots sticks to water and boil for 5 minutes.
3. Remove carrots from water, pat dry and combine with zucchini sticks and honey in large bowl.
4. Add carrots and zucchini to preheated grill and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Serve warm.

Parfait (serves four)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon Oats, rolled
• 2 teaspoon, packed Brown sugar (dark)
• 2 teaspoon Honey
• 1 cup Yogurt, vanilla, low fat
• 2 cups Fruit cocktail (canned), drained

Directions:

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread oats evenly on tray and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake at 350°F for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the oats!
2. Mix honey and yogurt in small bowl.
3. To assemble, place ¼ cup yogurt/honey mixture in small bowl. Layer with ½ cup fruit cocktail and top with ½ tablespoon toasted oats.