Maple Dijon Chicken

This recipe was YUMMY! I found it over at A Year of Slow Cooking. Even though three out of our five family members like sweet potatoes, I think next time I’ll make this dish with red potatoes. Then again, I’m one of the three that likes sweet potatoes so maybe the two that don’t care for them need to zip it. Just sayin’. :)

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

1 can chicken broth

2 large sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped)

1 onion (chopped)

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp 100% maple syrup

6 cloves garlic (minced)

4 bay leaves

2 tsp rosemary herb seasoning

Rinse and pat dry chicken breast, cut any extra fat off. In a mixing bowl combine chicken, dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic, and seasonings. Place the bay leaves on the bottom of your Crock Pot and then pour in your chicken mixture. Next pour in the chicken broth around the outside of the pot, trying not to rinse the coated chicken. Last, toss in the onions and sweet potatoes. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. There should be enough “sauce” left to pour over brown rice.

Creamy Chicken Alfredo

I’m sorry to do this to you, my fellow Lent followers, but this recipe is to good not to share. Just to let you know, I did not make this today; I made it yesterday. So I have not committed any sins(since you can’t eat meat on fridays during lent). Meaning today. :)

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 jars of creamy alfredo sauce (i used classico)

your choose of seasonings (i used salt, pepper, and parsley)

whole wheat rotini (or any other pasta you desire)

~Rinse chicken breasts and remove any extra fatty pieces, pat dry. Pour in both jars of alfredo sauce. Season both sides of chicken and then place on top of alfredo sauce. Cook 6-8 hours on low. Once it’s dinnertime, boil your pasta till it’s al dente (firm but not hard). Drain pasta and stir into crock-pot for 5 minutes or so. Giving the pasta time to absorb some of the sauce. I served steamed asparagus with this dish. Enjoy!

 

~Side Note: I have tried making this with packaged alfredo sauce and it doesn’t turn out as well. The sauce becomes runny.

P.S. - I lied, I cursed at the jerk who cut me off on my way to work. So now I’ve sinned 2x day. Once for cursing and once for lying. Oops!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Or as my kids call it… Red Chicken. I don’t know what it is with my kids, but if I call a meal by it’s “real” name they won’t eat it. I’ve learned I must keep things as simple as possible for them. Along with fun! That’s why whenever possible, I use my crinkle cutter. Since carrots (or whatever i’m cutting at the time) taste SO much better when they are crinkled!

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 cans sweet and sour sauce

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

3-5 carrots, peeled and diced (crinkled in my case)

~Rinse chicken breasts and remove any extra fatty pieces, pat dry. Pour in both cans of sweet and sour sauce, place chicken on top of sauce. Toss in your diced bell peppers and carrots. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.

Side note: If your a fan of pineapple, toss in a can of pineapple chunks (drained).

Cheesy Chicken over Penne

Let me first start with this… I normally make this recipe with broccoli instead of peas and corn. But since I didn’t have broccoli and no time to go to the grocery store, I needed to improvise. Adam said it still turned out very tasty.

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 cans of cheddar cheese condensed soup

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn

your choose of seasonings (i used garlic slat, pepper, rosemary, and parsley)

whole wheat penne (or any other pasta you desire)

~Rinse chicken breasts and remove any extra fatty pieces, pat dry. Pour in both cans of soup. Season both sides of chicken and then place on top of cheddar soup. Toss in your veggies. Cook 6-8 hours on low. Boil your pasta when it’s dinnertime and serve your chicken and cheesy sauce over it.

Side note: When I make this with broccoli, I would normally add it half way through cooking. Or I’ll steam it while my pasta is boiling.

What’s for dinner tonight?

Whole Chicken, Asparagus, & Red Potatoes

For tonight's dinner I switched things up a little. I normally stuff my chicken (and turkey) with apples, but my girlfriend Allison told me she stuffs hers with oranges. So oranges it is! And now if Adam complains I’ll blame it on her. :)

1 4lb chicken

1 can chicken broth (i like to use low sodium)

2 oranges, peeled and separated

red potatoes (however many you want), washed and pierced

1 bundle of asparagus, ends cut at diagonal

3 bay leaves

2 cloves of garlic

your choose of seasonings (i used italian, grinded garlic sea salt, and paprika)

~Discard the insides, then rinse and pat dry. Stuff one peeled and separated orange into body cavity, along with garlic. Rub chicken with your seasons. Pour broth into crock-pot along with other orange and bay leaves. Place your chicken on oranges. Toss in red potatoes and asparagus. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

What do you think?

Quick and Simple Chicken "Chili"

Have I ever mentioned how much I heart my Crock-Pot? Will just in case I haven't or some how you missed it (which is what has happened, since i talk about my bff all the time)... I LOVE MY CROCK-POT! I make some of my best dinners in her! Seriously, what is there not to love about a Crock-Pot? You dump in whatever you like, set it on low and then go about your day. Eight hours later, VOILA, dinner! It can't get any easier then that. Will it could, but it would include some sort of fast food drive thru loaded with trans fat. GROSS!

Anyways... Last night I made a VERY simple chicken chili. Figured I would share it since  Adam and the kids seemed to love it. There was only enough left for Cody’s lunch today and a serving for myself for dinner tonight. :)

Crock-Pot Chicken "Chili"

4 boneless chicken breast

1 jar of chucky salsa (i like to use the southwest kind)

2 cans of black beans (low sodium, not drained)

1lb frozen corn

Pressed garlic

A couple hours into cooking I start to shred the chicken with a fork. If you’re not around to do this, you could always dice up the chicken beforehand. Top it off with some cheese when your ready to serve, throw some cornbread on a plate (no cornbread? eat it with a tortilla), and you got yourself dinner with very little prep time. Enjoy!