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.

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

Taco Pasta - 8 pp

This is one of my new favorite recipes! I found the original version by Canadian Moms Cook through my Pinterest. I made it a while back and while I liked it, I thought it needed just a couple changes. To be honest, I really only added more cheese and little Rotel, but I think it made a difference.

It's ridiculously easy and relatively quick to make.

Makes 8 1-cup servings. Each serving is 8 points plus.

Ingredients:

1/2 - 3/4 box of bowtie pasta
1 pound of ground beef (I used ground sirloin because I'm fancy and it has a lot less fat).
1 pkg/envelope of taco seasoning
1 cup of water
1/2 can of tomatoes with green chiles (i.e. Rotel)
3/4 package of cream cheese (I actually used Neufchâtel, but you could live it up)
1 1/2 (approx) cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Boil pasta until just cooked; drain, run cold water over it.
3. While pasta is cooking, brown ground beef.
4. Mix taco seasoning and the water; pour over cooked beef and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced.
5. Add the cream cheese to the beef mixture, stir until melted and combined. Remove from heat.
6. Combine pasta and about 1 cup of the cheese. Add 1/2 can of Rotel. (note: I normally do this in the same pot I cooked the pasta in. You can do it in your casserole dish, but it seemed to messy to me)
7. Top pasta and cheese with beef mixture, gently mix until the pasta is coated.
8. Transfer to casserole and top with remaining 1/2 (and maybe more!) cup of shredded cheese.
9. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Additional Note: I have used both a 9x13" dish and a 1-quart dish for this recipe and both worked fine. Also, I kind of eyeball the amount of cheese used on the top; 1/2 cup is just a guideline. You can do more or less.