Salsa Verde Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Since my last 6 posts have been decadent desserts, I guess it's time to give you a delicious, clean, easy meal to get back on track. This is another great recipe where you let the crockpot do most of the work. Slow cooking the chicken with tomatillo salsa gives it great flavor without drying it out. I chose to make my own salsa verde and corn tortillas, but you can also use store bought to make this dish even easier.

We loved the combination of flavors here - bright red onion, creamy cojita cheese, earthy black beans, and of course the wonderful salsa verde. It's a new favorite of ours!

Salsa Verde Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Source: Slightly adapted from The Novice Chef
Yield: 4 servings





Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken breasts
• 3 cups medium salsa verde, divided (recipe follows)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the tacos

• 8-10 corn tortillas
• 1 can black beans
• 1 jalapeno, stem removed (remove seeds if you don't like the heat)
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• lime, for squeezing on top

Directions:

1. Whisk together 1 cup salsa verde, chicken broth and garlic salt in crockpot. Add chicken breasts and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
   
2. Combine black beans (do not rinse/drain) and jalapeno in a small sauce pan. Heat on medium-low until beans are cooked and pepper has softened, about 8-10 minuted. Puree in a food processor or blender.
   
3. Remove chicken from crockpot and discard remaining liquid. Shred chicken with two forks and place in a medium bowl. (You can also shred chicken by beating on low spead in a stand mixer for about 30 seconds - works great and is very quick!) Add remaining 2 cups salsa verde and chopped cilantro to chicken. Mix to combine.
   
4. Fill tortillas with a scoop of black beans, a scoop of chicken, a few slices of red onion, a healthy scoop of crumbled cotija cheese and a squeeze of lime!

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Source: slightly adapted from Rick Bayless
Yield: about 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds (12 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• Fresh hot green chiles to taste (3 serranos or 3 jalapenos), stemmed
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cup fresh cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off), roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 small white onion, finely chopped
• Salt

Directions:
Roast the tomatillos, chile(s) and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, until blotchy black and softening (they’ll be turning from lime green to olive), about 5 minutes. Flip them over and roast the other side. Cool, then transfer everything to a blender, including all the delicious juice the tomatillos have exuded during roasting. Add the cilantro and water, then blend to a coarse puree. Scoop into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove excess moisture. Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually 1 teaspoon.

Slow-Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

I've come to the realization that I don't make enough use of my crockpot. I tend to make the same few easy recipes over and over. Part of the reason, I think, is that I tend to think of the crockpot as something to use during the week to save time. I load it up at night, cook overnight, and then pack the food up for lunch and take it to work. Since I only have the morning to complete the last steps of the meal, I tend to make recipes that go right from crockpot to plate with little other necessary intervention. It's always seemed like cheating to use the crockpot on the weekend, since I actually have time to prepare a "real meal." I'm slowly coming to realize that crockpot meals are real meals, too, and it can be quite freeing to make them on the weekend! This is one recipe that caught my eye recently (along with another I'll be sharing soon - chicken tacos), and helped me reclaim a little time on a busy weekend afternoon.

Enjoy this sweet and slightly spicy easy slow-cooker meal!

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Source: Slightly adapted from The Dainty Chef
Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours
Total time: 4 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons safflower oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, pressed or grated
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot.
2. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce.
4. Dissolve cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
5. Shred chicken or cut into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve chicken over rice or noodles, garnish with sesame seeds.

Whole Chicken in a Crockpot

This is definitely not an earth shattering recipe, and it's barely a recipe at all! I thought I would just share a few tips that I've picked up that have made things easier for me when cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot.

It's really quite a marvelous thing - season a whole chicken, pop it in the crockpot, let it do it's thing for a few hours, and you have fall-off-the-bone chicken, ready to eat! I've been making this for a few weeks now and using the chicken for lunches during the week. One week I decided to roast the chicken in the oven, and decided I greatly prefer the crockpot. The meat truly does fall off the bone, which makes it really easy to separate out.

Whole Chicken in a Crockpot

One whole chicken
olive oil
seasoning of your choice
one lemon

Start by preparing the crockpot. I like to use crockpot liners for easier (and faster - don't have to wait for the crock to be cool enough to handle) clean up. Make 3 balls out of tin foil (about 2-3 inches in diameter) and place in triangular pattern in the crockpot. If available, place a rack on top of the foil balls. I have one that is just the perfect size, and I have found that it makes it easier to remove the chicken in one piece when it's done cooking. The chicken will release a lot of juice while cooking, so the foil balls will help keep it elevated, but the rack will help it come out of the pot without falling apart and dropping back into the liquid.



Prepare chicken by removing the giblets, rinsing well inside and out, and patting dry with paper towels. There are many ways to season the chicken - I keep it pretty simple with a little olive oil and some home-mixed Emeril's Essence. Fresh herbs + butter is another great way to go. Rub the oil and seasonings all over the chicken and under the skin to help flavor the breasts. Cut the lemon into quarters and stuff into the cavity.

Place chicken on rack in crockpot, and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4 hours. Remove chicken by lifting from the rack. I find it helpful to wedge a strong, metal spatula underneath the rack to help lift it up and out. Then just enjoy the chicken!

Chicken San Marco

I am always looking for new ideas for the crockpot. We have a few recipes we like, but in the winter I use it a lot during the week and hate making the same thing week to week. I cook overnight and we bring the (sometimes good, sometimes bad) results to work for lunch. Since I'm portioning it out in the morning when I am (usually) late for work, I never take pictures so I can share. However, this recipe is definitely worth sharing!

I need easy recipes that don't require lots of additional cooking when the crockpot is done (to say, thicken a sauce or add a few last minute ingredients). This definitely lends itself to that as it can be served alone if you are watching your carb intake, or with ready made rice in your freezer that is waiting for you. We love this recipe, particularly how it flavors the vegetables. The carrots are my favorite; they remind me of carrots boiled with ham or corned beef - soft and slightly salty. I changed it a bit to suit our tastes... took out the peppers and shifted around the proportions on the veggies.



Chicken San Marco
Slightly adapted from Family Crockpot Recipes

1.5 to 2 cups broccoli florets, cut small
1 large onion, diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1 (8 ounces) can Italian plum tomatoes, with juice, or 3 plum tomatoes chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes or left whole*

Place broccoli, onions, carrots, and tomatoes in the bottom of crockpot. Place the chicken on top. Mix together remaining ingredients and spread over chicken. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve... however you like! I think it would be good with pasta or brown rice, but I eat just eat it as is... delicious chicken and vegetables!

*I always use frozen chicken because I am too lazy to thaw it. We've never had any problems.

Platinum Chef 9: Apple Pumpkin Chili

I'm BACK! I've been quite busy in the last month preparing for a huge exam. It is OVER now, so I can finally get back in the kitchen and start sharing recipes again. YAY! I also happen to think this is the perfect way to come back... with the Platinum Chef Challenge! I love this event, as it seems to be the only way to get creative juices flowing in the kitchen.

This time, Lisa of Lime in the Coconut chose GREAT ingredients for fall! This round we had to create something with sage, bacon, apples, shallots, and mushrooms. All I have been able to think about since the arrival of fall is CHILI, and I decided that all these ingredients definitely belonged in a chili together. We already have a favorite red chili, so I decided this should go the white chili route. We're a no beef household, so I use either ground turkey or chicken and, for this challenge, turkey bacon (which really is nothing to write home about. I would have much prefered real bacon or some pancetta or something, but alas, those are off the list, too). The flavors really came together nicely in this, and the best part is that it's just an easy throw-together recipe for the crockpot. Love it!

Apple Pumpkin Chili

• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken, browned in a skillet
• 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, I went for one can northern and one can navy
• 1.5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, cleaned, and sliced
• 4 slices bacon, browned and crumbled or chopped
• one medium shallot, diced
• 1 granny smith apple, diced
• 1/2 of a 14oz can pumpkin puree (about 1 cup)
• 2.5 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• (optional) equal parts arrowroot or cornstarch and chicken broth, for thickening
• grated gouda cheese, for topping

Combine all except thickener and cheese in a crockpot. Stir to mix ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6. Add thickener if desired and heat on high for a few minutes to thicken sauce. Serve, topping with grated gouda.

Southwestern Chili

I got this recipe from a Word document compilation of crockpot recipes. We absolutely fell in love with the Southwestern Chili recipe! We made a few changes to suit our taste, as indicated. (I have also decided that the pictures I took border on less than appetizing, so I am only subjecting you to one) :-)

Southwestern Chicken Chili

~1 medium green bell pepper – chopped (we omit)
~1 cup chopped onions
~3 garlic cloves – minced
~3 tablespoons cornmeal
~2 tablespoons chili powder
~3 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
~1 teaspoon cumin (we use coriander)
~1 teaspoon salt
~1 1/4 Pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs -- cut in 1" pieces (we use ground chicken, browned in a pan first)
~1 Jar 16 Oz. medium picante sauce
~1 15 Oz Can pinto beans – undrained
~1 14.5 Oz Can Diced Tomatoes – undrained

In 3½ to 4 quart slow cooker, combine bell pepper, onion and garlic. In medium bowl, combine corn meal, chili powder, oregano, cumin and salt; mix well. Add chicken; toss to coat. Add chicken and any remaining seasoning mixture to vegetables in slow cooker. Add picante sauce, beans and tomatoes; stir gently to mix. Cook on low setting for 6-8 hrs. For a spicier chili, use 3 tablespoons of chili powder. For a less spicy recipe, use mild picante sauce or salsa.

Yield: "1 1/3 Cups" Per Serving (NOTES : 280 cal., 8 g. fat, 60 mg chol., 1330 mg. sod., 29 g. carb, 7 g.fiber, 5 g. sugars= 1 1/2 starch, 1 veg., 2 lean meat, 1/2 fat=5.5 WW points)

French Onion Soup - The Easy Way

I love french onion soup... so when I got my little individual soup crocks, I knew exactly what I wanted to make first! I was feeling a bit lazy, though, so I wanted an easy recipe. Living Insanity's Crockpot French Onion Soup (courtesy of Sandra Lee from the Food Network) definitely fit the bill!

I was only making soup for two, so I cut the recipe in half. (Though we still had some leftover.)

French Onion Soup (with living insanity's suggestions and my own interpretations)

1 1/2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced

1 can (14 ounces) low sodium beef broth (recommended: Swanson's)

1 can (10 ounces) beef consomme (recommended: Campbell's)

1 packet onion soup mix (recommended: Lipton's) (the full recipe calls for 1 packet, I didn't feel like trying to figure out what half of a packet was, so I just used it all!)

French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere

Combine onions, broth, consomme, and soup mix in a slow cooker. Cook on HIGH setting for 4 hours, or LOW setting for 8 hours. Ladle soup into serving bowls.

Top with cubes of French bread.

Sprinkle cheese over each bowl.

Put soup bowls under broiler until cheese is melted. (Alternatively, place the bread on a baking sheet and top with cheese; broil until cheese has melted,about 30 to 40 seconds, and set on top just before serving.)

Voila! My fiance and I both thought this was great, and perfect for a cold, snowy, New Year's Eve!