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Crock Pot Italian Chicken

February 20, 2012 By Kate 5 Comments

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We recently made a pretty big switch to our dinnertime routine that has been awesome in the execution but a little difficult in the transition, at least for me. We bumped our dinnertime up an hour. Eric and I realized that if we did this, he could eat dinner with the family 5 nights a week instead of 3. It means he leaves a little later in the evenings to head out to work, but since his schedule is so flexible, it works perfectly. There are still two nights a week where this isn’t possible, but we all love eating dinner as a family, so we’ll take what we can get!

This change has meant I’ve had to adapt my usual cooking habits a bit so that I can make sure dinner is ready to go and on the table at 5:30 each night, instead of 6:30. Fortunately, the “stolen moments” method that I so love makes this a little easier than it would otherwise. But I’m still struggling a little bit because I’m a lover of routines and I like being set in my ways! Changes in the schedule like this are always a little difficult for me to cope with. So, I’ve been relying on my crock pot more than usual, just because it somehow makes the whole new process feel easier.

Anyhow…on with the food! This Crock Pot Italian Chicken was so tasty and it smelled amazing as it simmered all day. I served it over pasta to make a nice complete, filling dinner. You could also add some chicken stock to turn it into a soup if you’d like, which was what I did with my leftovers for lunch the next day. It’s delicious either way!

Crockpot Italian Chicken

  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 c. chicken stock
  • 1 can sliced black olives, drained
  • 2 t. dried oregano
  • 1 t. dried basil
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. black pepper
  • Cooked pasta, optional
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions, red pepper, garlic, mushrooms and zucchini. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until onions are translucent and mushrooms are browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Pour cooked veggies into a large crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

3. Before serving, remove chicken and shred or cut into cubes. Stir back into the sauce. Serve over pasta, if desired.

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Chicken Enchilada Chili

November 12, 2011 By Kate 6 Comments

Alex joined Cub Scouts this year and now on Wednesday nights, he has his pack and den meetings at 6:30, which is our usual dinner time. And it also just so happens that Wednesday night is the only weeknight when Eric isn’t at work. So, we’ve made every effort to continue a family meal on those nights even though it can get a little crazy around the house at that time.

To minimize the stress for all of us, I’ve been relying on crockpot meals or things that can simmer all day. Chili seems to be my top choice lately. But since we all like variety, I’ve been experimenting with some different kinds. This Chicken Enchilada Chili has definitely been our favorite so far. It’s spicy, but in a subtle way so that the kids enjoyed it just as much as the adults.

This is definitely an easy meal that is a little different from my norm since it relies on canned enchilada sauce. Although I make homemade red enchilada sauce, I’ve never attempted a homemade green sauce, partially because I always have a difficult time finding tomatillos. If you have a good homemade sauce recipe though, I’d definitely recommend using that! (And if you do have a good recipe, I’d love if you’d share it with us!)

Chicken Enchilada Chili

  • 1 T. oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 6 oz. can diced fire-roasted green chilies, not drained
  • 1 lb. chicken breasts
  • 4 c. chicken stock
  • 2 14 oz. cans green Enchilada sauce
  • 2 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/2 t. black pepper
  • 1/3 c. diced cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 2 T. corn meal
  • Additional garnish: shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Stir in diced green chilies and liquid.

2. Add chicken to pot and pour in the stock, enchilada sauce and beans. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer at least 30-45 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked. (Or simmer all day, if you want.)

3. Remove chicken and shred or dice. Return to the pot along with the salt, pepper and 1/3 cup cilantro. Stir to combine then stir in cornmeal just until thickened.

4. Garnish individual bowls of chili with shredded cheese, sour cream and extra cilantro, as desired. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Rice & Bean Stuffed Pepper Cups

September 11, 2011 By Kate Leave a Comment

I love recipes that are easy to personalize and easy to switch up with different tastes whenever needed. Recipes like this are the basis for many of the recipes I’ve written on this site. Change a few elements here, add a few different spices there and you’ve got a new dish. That’s nothing new though, is it? I know there are tons of options for which this method works! I’d love for you to share your favorite!

With these Rice & Bean Stuffed Pepper Cups, the options are virtually endless, making them a great side dish with almost any meal. Here are some of the ideas I had for switching it up while I was making them tonight

  • Use red beans and chili spices for Chilli Rice Stuffed Pepper Cups
  • Use salsa and black beans for Mexican Rice & Bean Stuffed Pepper Cups
  • Use orzo, barley or quinoa in place of the rice
  • Add some extra veggies for more texture and flavor
  • Use red, yellow or orange peppers instead of green

Rice & Bean Stuffed Pepper Cups

  • 1 1/2 c. cooked rice
  • 1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, some liquid drained
  • 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 t. garlic powder
  • 1/2 t. black pepper
  • 1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 4 green peppers
  • 1 c. shredded Italian blend cheese

1. Combine rice, garbanzo beans, petite diced tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and spices in a bowl. Pour half of the tomato sauce into a 13×9 (or similar) casserole dish.

2. Cut green peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membranes. Place bottom side down in the casserole dish.

3. Generously spoon the rice and bean mixture into the peppers.

4. Pour remaining tomato sauce on top of the peppers. Cover casserole dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

5. Remove foil and sprinkle cheese on top of the peppers. Bake an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

These peppers are delicious as is, but definitely make it your own with any of the suggestions above, or anything else that sounds good to you!

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