Crock Pot Chicken Chili

Last weekend my brother-in-law Darrik texted me a photo of chicken chili that he was making, which inspired me to make some of my own in the crock pot this week.  This recipe is great because you can throw it together before work in about 5 minutes and then cook it on low all day.

Recipe
12 oz frozen chicken breasts
1 C frozen corn kernels
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can chili beans with sauce
1 15-oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
1 28-oz can tomato sauce
1 packet McCormick's slow cooker chili seasoning

Add all ingredients except chicken to crock pot and stir to combine.  Add whole chicken breasts (I kind of submerged them about halfway in the sauce).  Cook on low for at least 6 hours.  About an hour before serving, remove the chicken breasts, shred with two forks, return to crock pot and stir to combine.  I topped my chili with reduced fat shredded colby jack cheese, fat free sour cream, and a few crushed multigrain tortilla chips.

I had to send a photo back to Darrik so here's the final presentation.  I couldn't rotate the photo properly but you get the idea!

Comments
 - Normally I prefer ground beef in a red chili, but this was really good and I definitely did not miss the ground beef
 - The McCormick's seasoning is fairly spicy so if you don't like a lot of spice I would nix the seasoning packet and just add a bit of chili powder to taste just before serving

Rating
5/5

WW PointsPlus
6 (makes five 1.5 C servings, does not include toppings)

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This is a crockpot recipe but I made it on the stove instead.  By day 2 it thickened up nicely.

Recipe
Chicken Enchilada Soup

Comments
 - I didn't have fresh cilantro so I used fresh parsley instead
 - I used 2 garlic cloves instead of 3
 - Since I didn't go the crock pot route, I just poached my chicken and cut it up into small pieces
 - I just simmered everything on low for about 15 minutes after adding the chicken

Rating
4/5

WW PointsPlus
7

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Here's a hearty, filling soup recipe from Skinnytaste.

Recipe
Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Comments
 - No changes, I make this soup right to the recipe every time

Rating
5/5

WW PointsPlus
6 (for 1 1/2 C serving)

Braised Balsamic Chicken

I really like the flavor of vinegar (red wine, balsamic, white balsamic) so this recipe sounded right up my alley.

Recipe
Braised Balsamic Chicken

Comments
 - After starting the recipe I realized that I only had about 1/4 C. of balsamic vinegar on hand, so I ended up using 1/4 C. balsamic and 1/4 C. white balsamic
 - Before pouring the tomatoes, vinegar and spices over the chicken, I combined them thoroughly in a small bowl first

Rating
4/5

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Skinnytaste again! This was one of the top 25 recipes from 2012.

Recipe
Cajun Chicken Pasta

Comments
 - I think I cooked my veggies a bit too long because the tomatoes started to break down which added a lot of liquid to the dish.  I only used 2/3 C. chicken stock but that was still too much.  I tried to reduce the sauce a bit before serving.  Next time I will not cook the tomatoes as long, and will also cut back on the broth.
 - I used fat free cream cheese and about 2/3 the amount of chicken that she calls for

Rating
4/5

WW PointsPlus
8 (5 servings)

Chicken with Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

This was inspired by a few different recipes that I found on my Spark Recipes app.

Recipe
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 oz each)
1 can Hunt's Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 medium carrot, sliced
1/4 large onion, diced
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
garlic salt
1/4 lb angel hair pasta

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in skillet.  Season chicken breasts with garlic salt and brown them slightly in the pan, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  Add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil to skillet, then add carrot and onion.  Saute until slightly tender.  Add garlic and saute with the vegetables for 1-2 minutes.  Add the entire can of fire roasted tomatoes.  Put the chicken breasts back in the pan and immerse them in the sauce.  Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, until chicken breasts are cooked through.  Serve over cooked angel hair pasta.

Comments
 - I served these with Italian Green Beans.
 - This would be good by itself without the pasta as well - maybe with a side of risotto instead

Rating
4/5

WW PointsPlus
10 (could cut back on the EVOO to lower the Points value)

Dijon & Onion Chicken

This is a quick, easy and flavorful one-pan chicken dish.  I served it with a side of barley and sauteed kale.

Recipe
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 oz each)
1/4 C. Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 C. onion, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2-3/4 C. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. Grey Poupon mustard

Heat olive oil in frying pan, then add onion and cook until slightly translucent.  Dip chicken breasts in mixture of Panko breadcrumbs and garlic salt, pressing to coat.  Add chicken breasts to frying pan and cook over medium low heat for about 2-3 minutes per side.  This will help the breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken.  Add about 1/2 C. chicken broth to the pan and cook chicken for an additional 2-3 minutes per side.  Add dijon mustard and whisk with the broth and onion mixture.  Additional broth may be required here, depending on how much has evaporated in the prior step.  Simmer until broth is reduced and you have a thickened sauce left in the pan.

Comments
 - Next time I might dip the chicken in egg whites to help the Panko stick a bit better

Recipe
4/5

WW PointsPlus
7

Thai Peanut Noodle Bowls

Who needs Chin's or Noodles & Co. when you can make your own lower fat, lower calorie version at home?

Recipe
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (4 oz each)
1/4 C. chicken broth
1 head of broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 large carrot, sliced
1/4 medium onion, diced
4 Tbsp. Thai peanut sauce (I used Leann Chin's)
2 bundles Udon noodles
1-2 Tbsp. hot water
2 Tbsp. peanuts, chopped

Heat olive oil in a wok, then add onion and carrots.  Saute for a few minutes until onions become slightly translucent.  Add chicken broth and chicken.  Cook over low heat until chicken is no longer pink.  Add broccoli and cook until broth has almost entirely evaporated.  In a bowl, whisk together Thai peanut sauce and hot water - this is just to thin out the sauce a bit.  Add cooked Udon noodles and sauce to wok.  Toss until thoroughly combined.  Top with peanuts just before serving.

Comments
 - I added a bit of sriracha sauce to my bowl as well for a little extra kick
 - Could also use angel hair, soba or spaghetti in place of the Udon noodles
 - I added the chicken broth on a whim since the chicken cooks quickly in the wok; the broth kept the chicken moist and tender
 - Next time I might marinate the chicken for a few hours to give it a bit more flavor, using something simple like olive oil, soy sauce, and maybe a bit of sriracha

Rating
4/5

WW PointsPlus
10 (4 servings)

Buffalo Chicken Chili I

I plan to try a few different buffalo chicken chili recipes this season.  Here's the first one...

Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Chili I

Comments

 - I made this on the stove, not in the crockpot

 - This calls for 1/3 C. chili powder.  First, I thought that looked like a typo.  Second, I didn't have nearly that amount on hand.  I just used a few shakes of chili powder, to taste.

 - I cut the amount of cumin in half

 - I used Shredded Crock Pot Chicken

 - Next time I would double the amount of Frank's Red Hot Sauce - the buffalo flavor doesn't really come through if you only use 1/2 C.

Rating

3/5

Rosemary & White Wine Chicken

This is an easy weeknight recipe; while the chicken is cooking you can prepare the rest of the meal.  In my case, that was steamed sugar snap peas and wild rice pilaf.

Recipe
Skillet Chicken Rosemary

Comments
 - I used two boneless skinless chicken breasts, not the 3-4 lbs of chicken that the recipe calls for
 - I used 3/4 can of mushrooms
 - I didn't premix and refrigerate the wine and rosemary
 - I added additional spices - thyme, sage, dried minced onion, salt and pepper

Rating
4/5

Shredded Chicken Sandwiches, Two Ways

Here are a few quick and tasty sandwich recipes that use shredded chicken.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Recipe
2 whole wheat hamburger buns
2 C. Shredded Crock Pot Chicken
1/4 C. BBQ sauce
Prepared coleslaw (optional)

Mix shredded chicken with BBQ sauce.  Top sandwiches with coleslaw, if desired, and/or additional BBQ sauce.

Comments
 - N/A

Rating
4/5

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Recipe
2 whole wheat hamburger buns
2 C. Shredded Crock Pot Chicken
1/4 C. Frank's Red Hot sauce
Celery slaw (optional - mix 1/2 C. chopped celery with 2-3 Tbsp. bleu cheese salad dressing)

Mix shredded chicken with Frank's Red Hot sauce.  Top sandwiches with celery slaw, if desired, and/or additional buffalo sauce.

Comments
N/A

Rating
5/5

BBQ Chicken Pizza

This is one of Mike's favorites, and it's a quick and easy weeknight meal.

Recipe
1 Boboli whole wheat pizza crust
2 C. Shredded Crock Pot Chicken
1/2 C. diced red onion
~2 C. shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. BBQ sauce

Spread BBQ sauce on pizza crust, then top with onions and chicken.  Sprinkle cheese over the top.  Bake according to directions on Boboli package.

Comments
 - I really don't think the whole wheat Boboli is any healthier than the regular Boboli, but I just prefer the taste of the whole wheat crust
 - A thick BBQ sauce works best - we like Famous Dave's

Rating
4/5

Asian Lettuce Wraps

P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps are so good...and so greasy.  Here's a heathier version that I think is just as good!

Recipe
Lettuce Wraps

Comments
 - I used 93% lean ground turkey
 - I cut back on the garlic and only used 1 clove
 - I omitted the ginger (not a fan) and honey
 - I used sriracha in place of the chili garlic sauce

Rating
5/5

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Another hearty (and healthy) soup for fall and winter!

Recipe
Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Comments
 - I used my Shredded Crock Pot Chicken for this
 - I didn't have portabella mushrooms on hand so I just used canned mushrooms

Rating
4/5

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Mike loves Chicken Parmesan so I thought I'd try a healthier version from Skinnytaste.

Recipe
Baked Chicken Parmesan

Comments
 - Not going to lie here...I used three large chicken breasts, pounded thin, and there's no way I could have made the breadcrumbs & parmesan mixture work using just 3/4 C. breadcrumbs, 1/4 C. parmesan and 2 Tbsp olive oil.  I stopped measuring after doling out the intial ingredients but probably ended up doubling all three of these items.  I used Progresso Italian Style breadcrumbs.
 - I didn't have plain marinara sauce so I used a four cheese pasta sauce
 - I served this with Dreamfields spaghetti
 - Mike really liked this recipe and probably would have given it a 5/5, but it's my blog (ha!) so I'm only giving it a 3.5/5.  I can't really get on board with Chicken Parmesan - not enough flavor for me.

Rating
3.5/5

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

This is a Mexican take on my plain Shredded Crock Pot Chicken.

Recipe
 - 4-5 frozen chicken breasts
 - 1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
 - 1 packet reduced sodium taco seasoning
 - 1 can chili beans with sauce
 - 1 C. frozen corn

Combine all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Use two forks to shred the chicken.  Serve with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings.

Comments
 - I've substituted black beans for the chili beans and both are very good
 - You'll end up with a fair amount of liquid once this is fully cooked, so I just use a slotted spoon to remove everything from the crock pot before serving.  Save some of the liquid if you need to refrigerate any leftovers.

Rating
4/5

Shredded Crock Pot Chicken

I debated even creating a post for this but thought I would since I use this chicken in a lot of recipes.  Usually I'll throw this chicken in the crock pot on a Sunday morning and then later in the day I whip up some soup/chili for my work week lunches, plus save some for a weeknight meal.

Fill a crock pot 1/4 full with water.  Add frozen chicken breasts and cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for about 4 hours.  Remove chicken breasts from water and use two forks to shred them.