Crockpot Mexican Chicken

Okay, I know I say this every time I post something, but I believe I might have found a new favorite recipe. I feel pretty confident this time because I've made this about 6 times since I first found it a couple of months ago. I've also gotten a couple people hooked on it, so I take that as a good sign. This chicken is pretty darn good by itself, but it's also fabulous as a taco base or even over pasta (as beautifully showcased here). I also like to add a little cheese and jalapeños to the top of mine.

Note: Since I've tried this a few times, I've found that chicken tenderloins work out better if you're putting this over pasta. It eliminates the need to shred the chicken and it will cook faster.

Ingredients:

1 package boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins or breasts. (this can be anywhere from 1-1.5 pounds)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of salsa (any kind is fine, but the chunky kind is less runny)
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream, if you prefer)
1 package of taco seasoning

Directions:

1. Add everything but the chicken. Stir until blended.
2. Add chicken, making sure it's covered in the sauce.
3. Cook on low for about 4-6 hours, or until chicken is white all the way through. Note: Cook time can vary depending on how you cut your chicken. It can take longer if you're using whole chicken breasts.

Recipe slightly varied from Chef Mommy.

Crockpot Lemon Italian Chicken

This is one of my most coveted Pinterest finds for two reasons: 1. It's wicked good and 2. It's astonishingly easy. I can be a pretty lazy person, so I love a recipe that requires little effort. Not only that, but the main dish only requires 4 (yes, 4) ingredients. So here's the thing, this recipe varies around the web since the original post isn't available. The amounts are somewhat dubious, but here's what I did tonight. I liked this over pasta, but I'm thinking it'd be really good with rice too.

Note: I doubled the recipe that I originally found.

Ingredients:

About 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. (I used 2 super big breasts that I halved.)
1 stick margarine/butter (I used about 1 1/4 stick of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)
2 packets of ranch dressing mix
Lemon juice to taste (I used about 3 tbs)

Directions:

1. Let the butter melt in the crock pot. I do this on the High setting.
2. Add lemon juice and ranch packets. Stir until well blended.
3. Add chicken and make sure it's coated with the liquid.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. I check on it every couple of hours and ladle the liquid over the chicken.

Oven Baked Fajitas

Here's a pretty ballin' recipe I found on Pinterest. I made it for the first time a few months ago and to be honest, I kind of forgot about it (which is surprising because it's super delicious. I thought of it again the other day and decided to make it again tonight. This recipe is pretty large. I'd say it would make enough for 4 adults. My favorite thing about this is that it's ridiculously easy to make. The first time I made it I used precut onions and peppers. You could even get the fajita chicken pieces that are already cut into neat little pieces. Try it, you'll like it.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.
Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
Next add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Original recipe credit: Real Mom Kitchen