Air-Fryer Chicken & Egg Breakfast - Chick-fil-A Inspired — Sandwich or Breakfast Bowl

Air-Fryer Chicken & Egg Breakfast Meal Prep

Chick-fil-A Inspired — Sandwich or Breakfast Bowl

First, about the picture! The one pictured above is my bowl version, made with hash browns instead of an English muffin. The Chick-fil-A breakfast that inspired this recipe is actually served as a sandwich on an English muffin. Since this is the only picture I have right now, I wanted to clear that up right from the beginning!

While on vacation, we ate at Chick-fil-A for a quick breakfast, and I would always get their grilled chicken, egg white and cheese English muffin. I really liked it, especially because of the amount of protein it gave you to start the day.

When I got home, of course I started thinking, I can make this myself.

The first time I made mine, instead of using the English muffin, I put the chicken, egg and cheese over hash browns and made it into the breakfast bowl you see pictured. It was really good, and then that got me thinking about meal prepping these for my son.

Why not make one basic high-protein breakfast and give him two ways to eat it?

For the Chick-fil-A-inspired sandwich, we'll use a lightly toasted English muffin with grilled chicken, egg and American cheese.

For the breakfast bowl, we'll skip the muffin and use roasted diced potatoes with the same chicken, egg and cheese. You could also use hash browns like I did in the picture.

Since he has an air fryer, I wanted to figure out a way he could make the whole batch in there, portion everything out, and have breakfast ready to grab throughout the week.

For meal prep, I'm also changing things just a little from the one pictured. Mine has a whole egg. For his batch, we're going to use mostly egg whites with one whole egg mixed in. That keeps the protein high but still gives us a little of the flavor and fat from the yolk.

So here we go—one basic breakfast prep, two ways to make it, and a really nice amount of protein to start the morning.

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What You'll Need

This makes 6 breakfasts, and you can make them all as sandwiches, all as bowls, or do a few of each.

For the Chicken & Eggs

• About 1¼ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast

• 1 cup liquid egg whites

• 1 whole egg

• 6 slices American cheese

• Seasoning

• Cooking spray

For the Sandwich Version

• 6 Thomas' Light Multi-Grain English muffins — the 100-calorie ones

For the Bowl Version

• Potatoes, diced

• A little oil

• Seasoning

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Let's Start With the Eggs

For meal prep, I thought an 8×8 brownie pan would make this really easy. It fits right into the air fryer, and once the eggs are cooked, you can just cut them into portions for the sandwiches or bowls.

Spray the 8×8 pan with cooking spray.

Whisk together:

• 1 cup liquid egg whites

• 1 whole egg

• A little seasoning

Pour into the pan and air fry at 300°F for about 8–12 minutes, checking it around 8 minutes.

Don't cook these to death! You just want the eggs set. Remember, they're going to be reheated later, so keeping them a little soft now will give you a much better egg later.

Let the eggs cool and cut into 6 pieces.

That one whole egg mixed into the egg whites gives us a little yolk for flavor and fat, while we're still getting most of our egg portion from those protein-packed whites.

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Now for the Chicken

Slice the chicken breasts horizontally so you have thinner pieces, somewhere around ½-inch thick and roughly the size of your English muffin.

Give them a little seasoning and lay them on the flat tray in the air fryer without overlapping.

Air fry at 375°F, starting to check them around 8–10 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your chicken.

You do want your chicken completely cooked and to reach 165°F, but here's the important part for meal prep: once it reaches temperature, take it out.

We're going to reheat this chicken later, and cooking it way past done now is just asking for dry, rubbery chicken when we heat it again.

Let the chicken rest and portion it into about 3 ounces of cooked chicken per breakfast.

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Option One: The Chick-fil-A-Inspired Sandwich

This is the version that started the whole idea.

Split your English muffins and put them in the air fryer at 350°F for just 2–3 minutes.

We're only giving them a light toast. This helps dry that cut surface a little so when we put our eggs and chicken on there and then refrigerate or freeze them, hopefully we aren't coming back to a soggy muffin.

And this next part is important:

Let everything cool before you put the sandwiches together.

Warm chicken and eggs wrapped up with bread are going to create steam, and steam is going to give us exactly what we don't want—a wet muffin.

Once everything is cool, layer:

Bottom English muffin → Egg → 3 oz grilled chicken → American cheese → Top muffin

Wrap each sandwich individually in parchment paper, then slip the wrapped sandwiches into a large freezer bag and remove as much extra air as you can.

Approximate Macros — One Sandwich

About 320 calories
37–39g protein
27–29g carbs
About 8g fat

For comparison, the Chick-fil-A sandwich that gave me this idea was 300 calories with 27g of protein.

So yes, our homemade version is around 20 calories more, but we're getting roughly 10–12 more grams of protein out of it. I'll take that trade!

And for someone who wants a little more breakfast, throw some hash brown crowns, tater tots or a hash brown patty in the air fryer while the sandwich is reheating.

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Option Two: Make It a Breakfast Bowl

And this brings us right back to the picture at the top of this post.

Mine was made over hash browns, and you can absolutely do it that way. For meal prep, though, I thought little roasted diced potatoes might hold up even better in the refrigerator or freezer.

Dice your potatoes into fairly small pieces. Toss them with just a little oil and seasoning and spread them out on the flat air-fryer tray.

Air fry at 400°F until they're browned on the outside and tender inside, tossing them a couple of times as they cook.

For each bowl, add:

4 oz roasted potatoes → Egg → 3 oz diced grilled chicken → American cheese

Let everything cool completely before putting the lid on your container.

When you're ready to eat, just heat it up and give everything a little stir. The cheese melts down into the chicken, egg and potatoes, and you've got a completely different breakfast from the sandwich using almost exactly the same ingredients.

And if you'd rather have it like mine in the picture, skip the diced potatoes and use hash browns instead.

Approximate Macros — One Potato Bowl

Using about 4 oz roasted potato and roughly 1 teaspoon of oil:

About 340 calories
34–36g protein
About 25g carbs
About 10g fat

You can also cut back on the oil if you want to bring the calories down a little.

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How I Would Meal Prep Them

Personally, I think I would do 3 sandwiches and 3 bowls.

Same chicken.
Same eggs.
Same cheese.

We're just changing the English muffin for roasted potatoes, and suddenly breakfast doesn't feel quite so repetitive.

Keep what you'll eat during the first 3–4 days in the refrigerator and freeze the rest.

For the sandwiches, wrap them individually in parchment and put them together in a freezer bag. Pull a frozen one out the night before and put it in the refrigerator.

The bowls can go into individual freezer-safe containers. Again, just move one from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you need it.

In the morning, all that's left is to reheat breakfast. If it's a sandwich morning and you're extra hungry, you can get those hash browns or tots going in the air fryer while the sandwich heats.

So now you've got a breakfast that's already made, easy to grab, inexpensive, and packing somewhere around 35–40 grams of protein to start your morning.

And all of this came from one quick Chick-fil-A breakfast on vacation and me thinking, there has to be a way to make this at home.

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Until Next Time...

I hope this gives you an idea or two for making those busy mornings a little easier. Sometimes all it takes is seeing something we like and figuring out how to make it work a little better for our own family.

Thanks so much for checking in and spending a little time with me. If you try these, change them up, or have another idea, leave me a comment and let me know! Or follow along for more of my cooking, meal-prep and use-what-we-have ideas.

And even if you don't have anything to say, just stop by and say hi. I love hearing from you. ❤️

Until next time, remember—

Be the change. Spread kindness, give grace, and share a little love wherever you can. The world can always use more of it.

Love,
Louise ❤️

Chorizo & Potato - Cheap Meal Ideas

 

Cheap Meal: Chorizo & Potato — Three Ways

Let's make a cheap dinner.

One of the easiest ways to stretch a meal is to take something with a lot of flavor and add an inexpensive ingredient that makes it go further. Chorizo and potatoes are perfect for that.

Start With the Main Filling

For this meal, we're using:

• 1 package (9 oz) chorizo

• 2 medium potatoes

That's it for the main part of the meal.

Dice the potatoes fairly small so they cook quickly and you get a little potato and chorizo in every bite. Cook the chorizo, add your potatoes, and cook everything together until the potatoes are tender.

The chorizo has so much seasoning and flavor that the potatoes don't feel like something we're adding just to make the meat stretch. They become part of the dish.

And now we have choices!

🌮 Tacos, 🌯 Burritos or Tostadas?

Use the same chorizo-potato filling and choose what works for your family — or simply use whatever you already have in the pantry.

Tacos: Grab a box of crunchy taco shells.

Burritos: Use a package of flour tortillas.

Tostadas: Grab inexpensive corn tortillas and crisp them until they're crunchy. You can fry them in a little oil, bake them, or put them in the air fryer.

No need to buy all three. Pick one.

That's one of the secrets to keeping this meal cheap.

Now Let's Talk Toppings

Here's where it's very easy to turn a cheap dinner into an expensive one.

You do NOT need every taco topping known to mankind!

Look in your refrigerator first.

Some possibilities are:

• Shredded lettuce

• Shredded cheese

• Tomato

• Onion

• Jalapeño

• Salsa

Use what you have and what your family will actually eat.

If you have half an onion left from another meal, use it. One tomato sitting on the counter? Perfect. A little cheese left in the bag? That's enough.

But What Did Dinner REALLY Cost?

This is something I think we get wrong when we talk about inexpensive meals.

If I buy a bag of shredded cheese for $2.50, I didn't eat $2.50 worth of cheese for dinner.

If I open a jar of salsa, I didn't use the whole jar.

The same goes for lettuce, onions and jalapeños.

So there are really two different numbers:

What did I have to spend at the grocery store today?

and

How much food did we actually use for this meal?

For our chorizo-potato dinner, the main filling is only around $3–$4, depending on what you pay for chorizo and potatoes.

Add roughly $2–$3 for your choice of taco shells or tortillas.

Then add only the portion of toppings you actually use.

We're looking at roughly a $9–$10 family dinner, give or take a little depending on prices in your area and what's already in your refrigerator.

And that's the whole idea behind a cheap meal.

One Filling. Three Choices.

Chorizo + two potatoes.

Turn it into tacos.

Roll it into burritos.

Pile it onto crispy tostadas.

Top it with whatever you have.

And if a little chorizo-potato filling happens to survive dinner?

Put it in the refrigerator.

Tomorrow morning, scramble an egg into it, wrap it in a leftover tortilla, and breakfast is taken care of too.

Cheap doesn't have to mean boring. Sometimes it just means making the ingredients you buy work a little harder.

Sides for this could be mexican corn casserole, spanish rice, pintos and cheese. 

Always and most importantly — thank you to my family and friends for all the love and support that has carried me this far. I will be back for me in the days ahead. This is just the beginning. 💛

Let’s Connect

Have an idea?
Share it in the comments — I’d love to hear what’s working for you during your different phases 💛

Till we meet again

love and find joy in your day 

Louise

Sour Dough Discard - Pizza Edition - Come Back to Eating at Home

 

Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy Lent, Happy Passover.

I hope that included us all. 

I have been religiously tending to a sour dough starter. There are weeks I may keep her in the fridge and then there are times, I feed her daily. I seem to not be able to time myself to make a complete sour dough loaf. I have tried a few times and they turned out great. With my time line however the discard is my favorite part.

Sometimes, I will let it collect, so that I can make more of things with it.

Today I did not, I made a pan pizza. Straight from the discard.

Taking a skillet, mine was non-stick, note, I have seen it done, in a hot cast iron and put into the oven. I chose to try it this way. It worked and was so delicious and super easy.

My pizza today, was Greek inspired, I only used feta, mozzarella cheese and canned mushrooms. Next time if I have on hand it will be some spinach, onion and some Greek olives. Yum, right.

I do not use a base sauce, preference is just because, I like to put either a laughing cow spread on it, or today, I just sprinkled a little mozzarella cheese.

So let's get to it.

Sour Dough Discard - Pizza Edition

Greek Inspired

Stuff to gather:

Sour Dough discard (as much as you want to use as a pizza, my pan was 8 inches) 

Olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pan)

Mozzarella Cheese (this gave it light base of cheese flavor, so the feta stood out and the seasonings)

Feta Cheese

Mushrooms 

Seasoning (  I used the Cavendar's Greek low salt seasoning. )

*optional toppings to complete the Greek theme, kalamata olives, spinach, onion, and even wait and make a Greek inspired salad and put a little on the warm pizza slice. 

The putting together:

1. Put oil in the pan, making sure it all gets covered.

2. Pour in your discard, when I did mine the oil made it easier to spread out. 

3. Start with the cooking on low, like a pancake, then I waited for a few bubbles, then flip.

4. Put a slight sprinkle of cheese (or if you prefer a sauce, you could spread a little alfredo if you like)

5. Then your toppings. Seasoning. Cover for a few minutes, it helped my top melt and warm through. then Uncover to finish crisping up the bottom. 

  *at this point if your pan is oven proof I guess you could do that to melt the top more, but I found covering was just enough.

6. Check your bottom, and it will start to brown, and get nicely crispy.

This was so fast, and so yummy. Just what I was craving. I love the taste of the Sour Dough, it makes a slightly tangy note. 

As I was flipping this, I realized this could be really versatile, this could have been a nice wrap for a Greek Gyro, or a chicken shawarma wrap. So ideas for the future.

I am trying to commit to sharing at least once a week, keeps me grounded and actually keeps us as a family committed to eating better and eating at home. 

My wish for you is to always find a way to live your best life.

 If you try this always feel free to drop a comment, I would love to have your feedback.

Also if you have a craving, send it in a comment and I will see what I can figure out for us to try.

Thanks again for being part of my community.

Be the Light in Someone's Day

Be back soon. 

Chili Cheese Fries - Series Chili Beyond the Bowl

I bet you thought I would wait another week, gosh, but I get so excited. Made a quick batch of chili for the week and I decided that I would run a series of chili and the many ways that you can eat that chili. Where it will show how you can make it stretch and serve as a few different meals.

Chili - Beyond the Bowl 

Chili Cheese Fries

Stuff to gather:

Potato (I do one potato per person, you can do any kind that you like, idaho, russet, sweet)

Seasoning for your potato / and a little oil.

Chili (your homemade or even can is good)

Shredded Cheddar (I did not put an amount because you have to feel that in your heart)

*optional toppings: diced onion, jalapenos, sour cream - anything you would put on your chili that you like.

The putting together:

1. Cut your potato in fry style, toss in a baggie with a little oil and your seasonings, put into a sprayed air fryer and 390 for 15-20 minutes (flip half way) depending on how crisp or dark you like. 

**remember the crisper, the more it stands up to the liquid of the chili.

2. When the fries are finished, I take them out. and I put a piece of foil into my air fryer, (kinda turning up the edges so it will hold the chili on the fries. )

3. Place your fries back onto the foil in the air fryer. Scoop your chili on top. I scoop more of the beans and meat stuff and then a little of the soupy part, sprinkle your cheese. Air fry again, until the cheese is all melty and everything is hot. 

*this can also be done on a sheet pan in the oven. Actually when I am feeding a lot of people, I will at least do the fry's part, and then do the chili cheese fries per person in air fryer. 

4. When everyone is melted and hot, pull out and then you can put what toppings you like. 

I found this to be a very filing and great way to take that Chili - Beyond the Bowl.

I will share with you my chili recipe soon. I think making your own chili makes it so more on the cleaner, healthier side. I do have to use beans in the can to make it quicker. When I get more organized and more space, or even learn to can I will be doing them from dried. I did the math and money wise it was a better deal from dried. Chili and even just beans freeze so well. They have those soup freezing cubes you could make single servings and do it on the fly. Quick and easy. You could even do it on freezer fries. First though try the air fryer from real potatoes, you will never go back. 

I hope you enjoyed my little detour into the Series - Chili Beyond the Bowl.

I still have plenty of chili and plenty to share. So sit back and enjoy my kitchen. I am trying to commit to sharing at least once a week, keeps me grounded and actually keeps us as a family committed to eating better and eating at home. 

My wish for you is to always find a way to live your best life.

 If you try this always feel free to drop a comment, I would love to have your feedback.

Also if you have a craving, send it in a comment and I will see what I can figure out for us to try.

Thanks again for being part of my community.

Be the Light in Someone's Day

Be back soon. 

Flip It Tortilla Pan Pizza - Eating At Home

 Come on in, have a sit, welcome to "my kitchen".

I was so busy this morning, that I actually forgot to pick out some things for lunch and dinner. My kids are off this week for spring break. If you know you know. My 16 year old, can eat now and again in 30 minutes. Endless pit of a stomach. 

The simple tortilla, can be the gateway to all kinds of snacks, or even a meal. Lately I have been buying the burrito size tortillas at my Sam's Club but they are in all the stores. I usually get the low carb ones for myself. 

I had a pack of the burrito sized tortillas. Find a pan that fits your buritto. That is helpful to be able to flip it over. 

So without to much let me see if I can tell you how to do this simple, flip it tortilla pan pizza.

Flip It Tortilla Pan Pizza

Stuff to gather:

~toppings you would like with your pizza

~spices (garlic powder, onion powder, italian, oregano, basil -what you like)

~sauce (I found no need for it, but if you want then what you like)

~cheeses that you like - I did a handful

~tortilla (the size you want)

The putting together:

1. Spray your pan, then lay in the veggies first if you are using peppers, onions, mushrooms, and sautée them a little to get them tender.

*If you are not that type of person then move to step 2

2. Turn off the heat for a minute. 

3. In the pan (if you have veggies just spread out a little to cover bottom of pan) then meats, spreading it over the entire pan evenly, then the cheese you like and if you like sauce, drip a little all over the top, (not too much, I found I did not even need the sauce, if you like a little tomato flavor use canned or chopped tomatoes) all the while keeping the watery contents down. 

4. Lay the tortilla over it all, turn heat back on, and continue to press down on the tortilla. This is where the cheese will melt and meld with all the stuff under the tortilla and make it easy to flip over.

*I check under a corner to see if we are melding and if the cheese is crusting to the pan.

5. Flip it over and let the tortilla side, get crispy and toasty.

*I put a plate over my pan and flipped onto plate and then slid back into the pan.

6. When crispy like you like, slid back out and let cool a minute and cut.

My opinion, this was a really nice way to make a quick pizza-ish meal. We usually get the NYC style from Papa Johns and with using a non-low carb, I could fold it exactly like we do those and I found it to be texture wise a good match. The taste was on point and filling. 

What I know

The pack of burrito size tortilla can be $ 4 for 8. Cheese 8oz $3. Mushrooms, onions, peppers $2.00. and some sauce $1.00. You could make 8 for less than a large everything pizza ny style from Papa Johns. Healthier because you know what you put on it. Quicker than waiting and going to get it. 

Nothing is better than a nice warm piece of pizza. Especially if you like it garlicy, cheesy...mmmmmm

Thanks again for checking out what I have cooking in my kitchen today.

I am trying to commit to sharing at least once a week, keeps me grounded and actually keeps us as a family committed to eating better and eating at home. 

My wish for you is to always find a way to live your best life.

 If you try this always feel free to drop a comment, I would love to have your feedback.

Also if you have a craving, send it in a comment and I will see what I can figure out for us to try.

Thanks again for being part of my community.

Be the Light in Someone's Day

From My Kitchen to Yours.

Much Love

Louise