Slow Cooker Bacon-Wrapped Apple BBQ Chicken

My slow cooker has saved the day or at least saved dinner many times over the years.  When I knew I had an extra busy day coming up, I pulled out my trusty slow cooker again.  This time I decided to try Slow Cooker Bacon-Wrapped Apple BBQ Chicken.  It was super easy to put together and my family loves almost anything with bacon in it, so I hoped they would love this chicken, too.

Ingredients (printable recipe)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 slices bacon
1 cup BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/8 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
5 small apples, peeled and chopped (I used gala)
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, combine BBQ sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and peeled/chopped apples.
2. Wrap each piece of chicken with two slices of bacon and place in a greased slow cooker.
3. Pour BBQ/apple mixture over chicken and cook on low for about 6-8 hours or until chicken is done.

Source: Chef in Training

mmmmmmmmm Bacon!!!

Here comes the apples and BBQ sauce

That's it! Now, just let it cook.

The Results... 
The chicken turned out moist and flavorful.  No one loved it, but everyone did like it.  My teenage son liked it the most, giving it 4 stars (out of 5).  My girls and I gave it 3 1/2 stars.  My husband wasn't sure what to think about the apples mixed with the BBQ sauce. He thought it was OK and gave it 3 stars.

Once again my slow cooker saved dinner and I felt like supermom because after the busy day I had, I still managed to have a homecooked meal for my family.

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CrockPot Chili Cheese Chicken Tator Tot Casserole

Crock Pot Chili Cheese Chicken Tator Tot Casserole (try saying that 5 times fast!) was what the kiddos and I had for dinner yesterday.  My husband had a business trip, so I wanted to make something fun for the kids.  I've never made a tator tot casserole and I've been wanting to try this recipe for Cheesy Chicken Tator Tot Casserole from The Country Cook.  I decided to make a few changes like adding some chili seasoning.  I like chili cheese fries and thought maybe I could bring those flavors to this tator tot casserole.  I hope my version will be "kid approved!"

Ingredients (printable recipe)
1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tator tots (I used a 38 oz. bag---20% more free!)
9 slices of cooked bacon, crispy and crumbled
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 Tablespoons chili seasoning mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (we like sharp cheddar)
3/4 cup milk (I used 1% milk)
cooking spray
Directions
1. Spray crock pot with nonstick cooking spray. Lay half of the frozen tater tots on the bottom of the crock pot. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the crumbled bacon. Now top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
2. Add diced chicken on top. Sprinkle the chili seasoning on top of chicken. Add another 1/3 of crumbled bacon and top with another 1/3 of shredded cheese.
3. Put the rest of the frozen tater tots on top. Finish with remaining 1/3 of shredded cheese and 1/3 of crumbled bacon.
4. Pour 3/4 cup milk all over the top. Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours.

Notes: Newer crock pots cook hotter than older crock pots. So, if using a newer crock pot, check at 4 hours. Older crock pots may take longer. My crock pot is older (11 yrs. old) and it took a little over 5 hours to cook. ***You want to make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly to 165 degrees F.

Adapted from The Country Cook

Start with spraying the crock pot. You'll be happy you did this first when it comes time to clean-up!

Half of the frozen tator tots 

1/3 of the shredded cheese and 1/3 crumbled bacon 

Add the diced chicken and sprinkle the chili seasoning on top 

This is the chili seasoning I used. I didn't use the whole package, just 2 Tablespoons. I think that was about the right amount.

Another 1/3 shredded cheese and 1/3 crumbled bacon

The rest of the frozen tator tots

The remaining shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. It's a messy job!

Pour the milk on top

It took a little over 5 hours in my crock pot to cook the chicken thoroughly. It's ready to eat!

The Results...
Did the kids approve?  Yes, they did!  My 5 yr. old was the biggest fan of this casserole (and she's a tough critic!).  My 2 yr. old also liked this casserole.  My teenager and 9 yr. old gave this recipe 3 1/2 stars (out of 5).  I thought this was a tasty tator tot casserole, too.  I liked the extra flavor from the chili seasoning and the chicken helped turn this into a meal.  I am glad we also had a salad to balance out the richness of the melted cheese, bacon and tator tots.

This casserole isn't just for kids.  This is easy to make and yummy fall comfort food.  Since it cooks in the crock pot, you can easily take this along to your fall parties.  Doesn't every party need some bacon, cheese and tator tots. :)  Enjoy!


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Red Beans and Rice (slow cooker)

 

All the recipes on this blog to this point have been new recipes that we have tried for the first time and shared our results.  My husband recently suggested that I also add some "tried and true" recipes or favorite recipes that my family requests often.  I liked this idea and I have created a tried and true label in the sidebar to make it easy to find them.  

My Biscuits are Burning has been a wonderful way to share, keep and organize recipes.  We will continue to try new recipes, but now I'm looking forward to also sharing the recipes that we really love and have made many times over the years.  My son requested Red Beans and Rice for dinner this week and I thought this would be a great recipe to start with.

Red Beans and Rice is a traditional southern dish.  When I was a little, my family lived in Mississippi and that's where I was first introduced to Red Beans and Rice.  You could buy red beans already seasoned and ready to use in a can.  My mom would add sausage and serve it over rice.  When we moved away from Mississippi, we couldn't find the seasoned red beans anymore.  So, my mom found this recipe and it became one of our favorite dinners.  My brothers and I would make requests for these Red Beans and Rice.  After I was married this became one of my husband's favorite dinners and now our kids also request this dish. 

My copy of the recipe in my mom's handwriting

Ingredients (printable recipe)
8 strips of bacon
1 medium white onion, minced
3 celery stalks plus leaves, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 Tablespoons chili powder OR chili seasoning mix
2 Tablespoons brown sugar OR 2 teaspoons molasses
3/4 tsp. pepper
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 (15.5 oz.) cans red beans or kidney beans and liquid
2 lbs. of sausage cut into 1 inch pieces (I used two 14 oz. packages of smoked sausage)
Cooked rice, about 6 cups
Hot sauce, if desired
Directions
1. Cook bacon in a large frying pan, drain on paper towels and set aside. Crumble when cooled.
2. Saute onion, celery (without leaves) and garlic in bacon fat until soft.
3. Stir in celery leaves, crumbled bacon and all other ingredients.
4. Pour into slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
5. Serve over rice. Add a dash or two or a few of hot sauce if you like. Enjoy! 
Serves 4-6 

Source: Mom

Getting the veggies ready

The bacon smelled so good that everyone came into the kitchen to see what I was up to. :)

Getting the onion and celery nice and soft while it sautes in the bacon grease.

I can usually find red beans (not seasoned). Kidney beans work just as well, especially if you already have some in your pantry.

I put everything except the sausage in the pan and stirred it up (the pan was getting full). Then, I added it to the slow cooker with the sausage.

Use whatever sausage you like. We usually use smoked sausage that is easy to find at the grocery store. You could use andouille sausage to be more authentic, but it tends to be too spicy for our kiddos.

Lookin' yummy. Now we just have to wait 4-5 hours. Don't forget to get your rice ready, too!

The Results...
Once the bacon is cooked and crumbled and the veggies are soft, you basically just add everything to the slow cooker and forget about it for 4-5 hrs.  This is a great dish for potlucks and parties.  Make it for football parties in the fall or anytime you want an easy, slow cooker meal that is hearty and delicious!

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Creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice

Once the older kids get home from school around 4pm, it gets even busier around here with homework and activities.  So, having dinner already planned and cooking in the crock pot is wonderful!  I already had everything on hand for Creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice, so I figured this recipe was worth a try. 

Ingredients (printable recipe)
2-4 frozen chicken breasts (depends on size)
1 (10 oz.) can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (0.7 oz) pkg. of dried Italian salad dressing mix
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 (10 oz) can Rotel (tomatoes with green chilis) or just diced tomatoes or Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
milk as needed to thin sauce (or water or chicken broth)
About 3 cups cooked rice
Chopped green onions, if desired
Directions
1. Stir together cream of chicken soup and Italian salad dressing in crock pot.
2. Put frozen chicken on top.
3. Let cook on high for 4-6 hours or until chicken is cooked and fall-apart tender. Reduce heat to low.
4. Stir and break-up chicken into bite sized pieces. Put cream cheese on top and pour in Rotel. Let the cream cheese soften in the crock pot for about 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, the cream cheese will be nice and soft. Stir everything together. Add some milk, water or chicken broth to thin the sauce to your desired consistency. 
6. Add about 1/2 cup cooked rice to a serving dish and ladle on the creamy chicken sauce. Sprinkle on chopped green onions.
Makes about 6 servings

Adapted from Stick A Fork In It  

Just mix the soup and salad dressing together in the crock pot.

Lay the frozen chicken on top. My chicken was in a FoodSaver bag. That's why it's smooshed together and had the lines on it.

After the chicken has cooked, just lay the cream cheese on top in the middle. No need to soften first, it will soften inside the crock pot after about 30 minutes. Don't forget to pour in the Rotel or diced tomatoes, too!

The sauce was a bit too thick, so I stirred in some milk until I got the consistency that I wanted for pouring over rice. That's it. Dinner is ready!

The Results...
Easy and tasty, too.  My husband and I gave this 3 to 3 1/2 stars (out of 5).  We liked it.  I was surprised that my son gave this 4 1/2 stars!  He really liked this dish.  My little girls thought it was a bit spicy.  I would suggest adding just plain diced tomatoes if you have little ones that might be sensitive to the green chilies in the Rotel or I would also try using a can of Italian seasoned diced tomatoes.  I'm glad I gave Creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice a try!

I share recipes at these linky parties.
This recipe is share at the Weekend Potluck.

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Pasta E Fagioli (Slow Cooker)

Olive Garden is one of my husband's favorite restaurants.  There is one not too far from us and we go there occasionally for a treat.  He almost always orders the Calamari and the Chicken Scampi.  I like their soup, salad and breadsticks.  Pasta E Fagioli is my favorite soup at Olive Garden.  I can't wait to try this copycat recipe and see if I can make it at home!

Ingredients (printable recipe)
2 lbs. Ground Beef
1 onion, chopped small
3 carrots, chopped small
4 stalks celery, chopped small
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes undrained ( I like Hunt's Petite Diced)
1 (15.5 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (15.5 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained
2 (14.5 oz.) cans low sodium beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons black pepper
5 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)--I used Franks RedHot Cayenne Pepper sauce
1 (24 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce (I used Ragu Roasted Garlic)
8 ounces ditalini pasta
Directions
1. Brown beef in skillet.
2. Drain fat from beef and add to slow cooker with everything except pasta.
3. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours*.
4. Cook pasta separately on stove, following package directions.
5. Add pasta to each bowl of soup before serving.
*I don't know if it's because my slow cooker is older, but I've found that it takes about an extra 2 hours of cooking time to get the carrots, onion and celery soft.

Makes 12-14 servings

Adapted from   Food.com

I like veggies chopped small when I make soup.

I've made this recipe 3 times now.  One of the times, I tripled this recipe and cooked it in my 22 qt. roaster oven. This gives you approximately 36 servings!  I made this huge batch for my freezer group, but this would also be great for entertaining a big group during the holidays.  Just add a fresh salad and some breadsticks and you have a whole meal.

The Results...
This Pasta E Fagioli did taste like Olive Garden's.  It was warm, hearty and very tasty!  Perfect for the chilly weather we've been having.

This recipe does make A LOT of soup!  It filled my 6 qt. slow cooker up to the very top.  I couldn't have fit another thing in there.  We happily ate this soup for two days.  But, next time I make this just for my family, I will freeze the leftovers for another meal.  Cook once and eat twice is another thing I like about this recipe.  It's a keeper!

Freezing soup is quite easy. After it has cooled, pour into a Gallon sized Ziploc bag.  Make sure it is completely sealed and lay flat on a baking sheet.  Label and put in freezer until solid.  Remove baking sheet and stack soup.  Then, just thaw and reheat.  Cook the pasta separately and add to the soup when it's hot and ready to serve.

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Ranch Chicken Tacos

Tacos are one of our family's favorite dishes.  The kids request them frequently.  Usually, we have seasoned ground beef tacos in crispy shells.  Instead of our usual tacos, I served Ranch Chicken Tacos for dinner tonight.

Ingredients (printable recipe)
3 frozen chicken breasts*
1 packet McCormick taco Seasoning, divided
1/2 cup Light Ranch dressing (we like Hidden Valley)
1/4 cup Light sour cream
1 Tablespoon favorite salsa
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
Shredded lettuce
1 Chopped tomato
4 green onion, sliced
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
1 (4 ounce) can sliced olives (optional)
1 avocado--peeled, pitted and diced (optional)
Directions
1. Place frozen chicken breasts in slow cooker.  Reserve 1 teaspoon taco seasoning. Sprinkle the rest of the taco seasoning on top of the frozen chicken in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for about 4 hrs.
2. Combine Ranch, sour cream, remaining 1 tsp. Taco seasoning and salsa together in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
3. When chicken is done and tender, shred in slow cooker with two forks.
4. Warm tortillas in skillet about one minute each side to make them pliable.
5. Place a scoop of chicken on the tortilla and top with lettuce, tomato, onion, olives, avocado, cheese and a spoonful of the Ranch dressing mixture.

*If you don't have time to wait for the chicken to cook in the slow cooker, use a rotisserie chicken. Shred the chicken and toss it with the taco seasoning in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or wax paper. Microwave until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.

Adapted from Allrecipes

The frozen chicken breasts I use are enhanced with chicken broth.  As they cook they release liquid.  So, I didn't add any liquid to the slow cooker.  The chicken was ready to shred after 4 hrs. on high.  If they had cooked any longer, I would've needed some extra liquid, either water or broth, to keep the chicken from getting too dry.  If your chicken isn't enhanced with broth, add some liquid.  

Wanna Bite?

The Results...
How were these "new" tacos?  Muy Bueno!!!  Everyone liked the Mexican Ranch mixture on top.  It would be a very good dressing for a taco salad, too.  The chicken turned out very tender and seasoned just right.  The tomatoes, lettuce and green onions were crispy and fresh.  Everything piled on top of a warm, corn tortilla made one delicious dinner and lots of happy tummies.  We will definitely make these tacos again!

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Beef and Broccoli

Kids say the funniest things and our oldest daughter has especially kept us laughing over the past 8 years.

One evening (when she was around 3) I heard her crying in the bathtub: 
Me--Why are you crying? 
Our daughter--(through sniffles and tears) I'm turning into a grandma!
Me--What?
Our daughter--See my hands and feet!  They are WRINKLY--like a grandma!

Once when we were out shopping, she noticed some large potholes in the parking lot and said, "Dinosaurs are real!  Look at those dinosaur footprints!"

Just last night, she got out of bed and ran to the bathroom, "Just to make sure her eyeball didn't pop out!" (She had been rubbing her eyes)

I told you, she keeps us laughing!  Another favorite of mine is when she told me her feet were "MELTING!"  It was a VERY hot summer afternoon.  One of those days when you step outside and your whole body starts to sweat--immediately.  She was wearing flip flops and as her sweaty feet slid on top of her flip flops, she thought they were melting!

It's been an especially hot summer this year and I've had days when I think I'm going to melt, too!  No way am I going to turn on the oven.  That's why I love my slow cooker.  Beef and Broccoli cooks all day in the slow cooker without heating up the whole house.        
  

Ingredients (printable recipe)
1 1/2 pound boneless beef chuck or round roast, sliced into thin strips
1 cup beef broth

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sauce from the crock pot after being cooked
Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired--I used one fresh bunch from the market)
Hot cooked rice

Directions
1. Place beef in a crock pot.
2. In a small bowl, combine broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce form the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine.
4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken).
6. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Adapted from BS Recipes

The Results...
The oven stayed off and the house stayed cooler, but what did everyone think of Beef and Broccoli?

We liked Beef and Broccoli, but we didn't love it.  My husband put it this way, "I like it.  It's good and I would eat it again if you make it, but I wouldn't request it as my favorite meal."


The beef did turn out tender and the sauce had a nice flavor.  The sauce was runnier than I would've liked, but I forgot to turn the slow cooker up to high after I added the cornstarch.  Oops!

Our 8 yr. old daughter is the only one in our family that hates broccoli, but she said she still liked this dinner.  She said the broccoli is "OK" in this dish.

So, if it's hot where you are, too....give Beef and Broccoli a try or one of these other slow cooker recipes.  Keep the oven off and try not to melt!

What's something funny that you have heard a kid say?

I share recipes at these linky parties.

Beef and Broccoli is a Host Favorite
at Foodie Friends Friday picked
by Marlys-This and That

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Saucy Chicken Thighs

Summer is a great time to pull out your crock pot.  It doesn't heat up the whole house and you can fix dinner and go play.  Saucy Chicken Thighs is a crock pot recipe that looks easy to put together.  While it's cooking the kids and I are going to go play at the library...and I'm not going to worry about what's for dinner.   

Ingredients (Printable Recipe)

Boneless, Skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)

Freshly ground salt

Freshly ground pepper

1-1/2 cups barbecue sauce

1/2 cup honey*

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Soy sauce

1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (to your taste)

Directions

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Broil 4-5 in. from the heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Transfer to a 6 qt. slow cooker.

In a separate bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, honey, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Soy sauce and pepper sauce. Pour over chicken; stir to coat. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until meat is tender.  Serve with your favorite side dishes.

*Spray the measuring cup with PAM (cooking spray) before measuring the honey.  The honey will slide right out.

Adapted from Taste of Home 

The Results...
An easy and tasty dinner.  The chicken turned out tender with a honey, BBQ flavored sauce that we all enjoyed.  I wouldn't cook this for much longer than 4 hrs.  I cooked the chicken for 4 1/2 hours in my 6 qt. crock pot and it was almost too long .  I put this recipe together while the kids were finishing their lunch and it was ready for us at dinnertime.  Saucy Chicken Thighs gets 4 stars and a place on our Family Favorites List!

This recipe is featured at Mom's Test Meal Mondays @ Mom's Test Kitchen and Totally Tasty Tuesdays @ Mandy's Recipe Box.

Also shared at:

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Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Chicken and Potatoes

Our family loves Ranch dressing.  When I came across this recipe on Pinterest I thought maybe this was something we would like.  Originally this recipe is for pork chops, but since I didn't have any I used chicken instead.   

Ingredients (printable recipe)

4-6 frozen chicken breasts

6-8 medium potatoes, chopped into large pieces

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 packages dry Ranch dressing mix

1 cup milk

Dried parsley to sprinkle on top (optional) 

Directions

Use at least a 6 qt. slow cooker to hold all the ingredients.  Whisk together the condensed soups, Ranch dressing mix and milk in a separate bowl.  Set aside.  Wash and cut potatoes. Original recipe suggests spraying your slow cooker with a non-stick cooking spray---I forgot.  Put potatoes* on the bottom of your slow cooker  Place the frozen chicken breasts on top of the potatoes.  Pour the soup/Ranch mixture on top of the chicken and cook on LOW for 7 hours or on HIGH for 5 hours.

Use the extra sauce in the slow cooker as a gravy for the potatoes and chicken. Sprinkle with dried parsley if you want.

*The potatoes didn't cook evenly.  Next time I would occasionally stir the potatoes while cooking and cut them slightly smaller.

Adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff

The Results...
Not bad, but not really good, either.  We thought this turned out pretty bland.  Whenever I make a bland dinner my little 4 yr. old loves it!  She was the only one that finished her plate and loved this meal.  If you ask her she says this is a 10 star (out of 5 stars) recipe.  The rest of us thought it was only worthy of 2 1/2 stars.  At least it was super easy to put together and one of us loved it.

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Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Alfredo

Christmas is just 3 days away!  This time of year is exciting, busy and just plain crazy at times.  I still have a lot to do before the big day comes.  I'm a little behind and today the kids came home early from school to start their holiday vacation.  Plus, my son has a basketball game tonight.  But, with everything going on I'm not stressed about dinner.  Why?  It's already cooking in the crock pot...     
 

Ingredients (printable recipe)

8 (4 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (mine were still frozen)

1/2 cup water

2 (.7 ounce) packages dry Italian-style salad dressing mix

1/2 tsp. garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (substitute low-fat if you like)

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup

 fresh sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 lb. package of angel hair pasta

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil

Directions

1. Place frozen chicken breasts in a large crock pot (6 qt.). Combine Italian dressing mix, and water in a small bowl. Pour over chicken; sprinkle with garlic, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours.

2. After 4 hours, whisk softened cream cheese and cream of chicken soup together in a bowl. Pour over chicken; stir in mushrooms. Cover and cook on Low for 1 additional hour.

3. Cook pasta according to directions on box.

4. To serve, spoon chicken and sauce over hot cooked pasta and sprinkle with parsley or basil. 

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

The Results...
The biggest fan of this recipe was my 4 yr. old.  She gave this a solid 5 stars and cleaned her plate (which is unusual for her).  My two older kids both gave this 3 stars.  I thought this was good, but I didn't like the fresh parsley on top.  I think basil would taste better.  My husband and I gave this recipe 3 1/2 to 4 stars.  Dinner tonight was easy and tasty.  Plus, since I doubled the original recipe, I have leftovers for another busy night!

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Slow Cooker Beef Stew

We usually have a hearty soup or stew for our Halloween dinner before we head outside to trick-or-treat.  This year I decided to try a new recipe, Slow Cooker Beef Stew.  It has great reviews over at allrecipes.com.  I changed it just slightly by leaving out the celery and using smoked Spanish paprika.  I'm hoping this fills the kids tummies and leaves less room for all the candy they'll be bringing home!

Ingredients  (printable recipe)
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
Directions
Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours. 

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

The Results...
I really liked how easy this was to put together.  There's no browning the meat first, just throw it in the slow cooker and it turns out delicious!  It tasted like pot roast in a bowl and the kids did fill their tummies because they all liked it!  It was hearty, satisfying and I didn't feel as bad about them eating candy since they had a good dinner.  Between trick-or-treating, school parties, church party, and all the extra candy we couldn't get rid of (it was raining here and we had a lot less trick-or-treaters this year) we have enough candy to last until next Halloween!  Maybe I can find some recipes for all this leftover candy....

We hope you had a happy and safe Halloween!

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Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Stew

It's a snow day.  The kids are home from school.  Not only is it snowing, it's freezing cold AND windy.  My son and I are taking turns shoveling the driveway.  I'm not planning on going anywhere today.  I'm thinking we really need some warm, comfort food for this chilly, snowy day.  Maybe a soup or stew?  But, I need to find a recipe that I can make with what's in my cupboards.  After a little internet searching, I found this recipe on food.com.  It looks yummy and I have everything on hand!  Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Stew, you are what's for dinner tonight...

Ingredients (Printable Recipe)

1 onion, chopped

1 (16 ounce) can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)

1 (16 ounce) can corn (drained)

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies (Rotel)

1 packet taco seasoning

2 boneless skinless chicken breast

Directions:

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 6 1/4 hrs

1. Mix everything together in a slow cooker except chicken.

2. Lay chicken on top and cover.

3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

4. 30 minutes before serving, remove chicken and shred.

5. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir together.

6. Top with cheese, sour cream, or tortilla chips, if desired.

 

I used 3 (10 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes and green chilies (Rotel).  My chicken breasts were frozen.  I slightly defrosted them before putting them in the slow cooker. 

I mixed everything in the slow cooker and put the chicken on top.  I'm cooking this on low and it should be ready just in time for dinner.  It's all up to the slow cooker now.  My work is done, for dinner anyway.  Now, it's my turn to go shovel the driveway.  I've got to go bundle up.  I'll post results after dinner tonight...

The Results...

This cooked for 7 hours on low.  I shredded the chicken during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.  So, what did we think?  We thought this was delicious!  My husband liked it so much that he said, "make this again and don't change a thing!"  I also liked this stew, although it was at the top of my spice tolerance.  I added a little sour cream to help "cool it off."  My son didn't think it was too spicy, but my 6 yr. old also needed some sour cream in hers.  I'm pretty sure this will be too spicy for my 3 yr. old (she was asleep when dinner was ready).  I'll need to make her something else when she wakes up.  I'm thinking I could add half the Rotel and then add plain diced tomatoes if I want to make a milder version in the future.  Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Stew did hit the spot on this chilly, winter day!

This recipe is shared at:

Foodie Friends Friday 

Slow Cooker Thursday @ Addicted to Recipes 

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