Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

I just wrapped up lunch with my little fellas where we scarfed down leftovers from yesterday. And let me tell you it was just as tasty as it was last night so I decided to share! This recipe is super super easy, kid friendly, and full of flavor!

Here's what you do:
Add 3 good sized chicken breasts to your crockpot then sprinkle with one package taco seasoning and one package dry ranch seasoning. Then pour 2/3 cup water over the top.

Cook on high 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked and shreds easily. Shred the chicken and let cook another 30 to 60 minutes to let it really soak in the flavor. That's it!

Serve in flour tortillas with melted cheese and whatever else you like on your soft tacos. For me it's all about the guacamole!!

Parmesan Ranch Chicken Strips

Happy Shot Day!  You see, when I'm pregnant I get a shot every Thursday to help keep my baby inside as long as possible and one of the many awesome things about it being shot day is that it means tomorrow is the weekend!  Wahoo!  I just love having the hubbs home all day.

So to celebrate a great day.... here's a quick recipe for:

Parmesan Ranch Chicken Strips

The ingredients are few and they are things I usually have in my pantry and fridge.  You just need chicken + .......

Trim and cut 2 lbs chicken into small-ish strips.  It should give you about a dozen strips.  You could definitely use this breading on a full or half breast - I just like the smaller strips because I have little kids!  Set the chicken aside.

Combine and stir:

• 1 cup bread crumbs (anything will work, including crunched up crackers or corn flakes.  I like panko crumbs because they are a little larger and give a little crunch)
• 2/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbs dry ranch mix (this is 2 packets)

To bread chicken:

• Melt a cube of butter in separate bowl
• Dip each strip into butter, then coat well with breading

Lay strips on a foil-lined cookie sheet or in a 9x13 pan.

Bake 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  You just want to cook it long enough that the breading gets golden brown but it doesn't dry out the chicken.

We had them with carrot sticks and savory baked potatoes.  I just sprinkle a little seasoned salt on the potato before I roll it up and it seems to give the potato a little extra flavor.

These strips would also be so yummy dipped in marinara sauce!

Kitchen Time Savers

A few weeks ago I was asked to come up with some tips for saving time in the kitchen that I could share at a church activity.  Time is so precious, I love every opportunity I have to set even just a little bit aside to spend it doing what I love!  

Here are a few ideas I came up with (along with a few recipes that tie in).  I've shared a couple of the recipes before but that just means they must be really good ones, right?!

Time saving tips 

for meal prep!

1.      Shop for 5-10 meals at the same time - take a few minutes every week to plan out a menu then make ONE trip to the grocery store!.  Not only will you save time by not having to run out to grab last minute ingredients daily, but you'll notice you end up actually spending less money too!  

2.     Make double and freeze ½ for later - self explanatory right?  I wish I remembered to do this more often.  I love having a handful of meals in the freezer so after any given busy day I have something to throw in the oven or crock pot with minimal effort and no one even knows I forgot to make dinner that day!  It's a much better alternative to fast food!

a.      Taquitos

b.     Chicken Noodle Soup

c.      Pork Sandwiches

3.     Utilize your crock pot - There are quite a few recipes that weren't necessarily created as "crock pot recipes" but work great in there.  I've found that from 3:00 - 7:00 is usually my busiest time of the day so it's nice to not have to squeeze "prepare dinner" in there as well!  I need to remember more often to plan ahead and get something in the crock pot.  Too often, it's 4:00 before I even think about dinner and I've totally missed my chance to use the crock pot that day!

a.      Bonnie’s Chicken Fiesta

b.     Taco Soup

c.      BBQ Chicken

4.     Prepare your meat and cheese ahead of time - This can be a money saver too.  I cook and shred my chicken or brown ground beef, ground sausage or ground turkey and freeze it in quart ziplock bags in either 1/2 or full pounds.  It takes the same amount of time to brown 5 pounds as it is to do 1 and yet it cuts out a considerable amount of time if you don't have to do it every day.  The same thing goes for shredding cheese.  I grate 5 lbs at a time and fill freezer bags.  If you have the slicer/shredder attachment for a kitchenaid this is easy peasy lemon squeezy!

a.      Spaghetti Pie

b.     Layered Enchiladas

5.     GOOD SPORT NIGHT! (I've mentioned this before too, but this is a fancy name for leftover night.  Usually once a week we have a night where we all "open the fridge and be a good sport"!  I usually plan it for our busiest night of the week where we attempt to juggle soccer games, dance class, church meetings, homework and every other little thing that seems to come up!)

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients

1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (low fat is fine, avoid fat free)

1/4 cup green salsa

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, or garlic powder

3 Tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 Tablespoon sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)

1 C grated pepperjack or plain jack cheese

small flour or corn tortillas

kosher salt

cooking spray or olive oil

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.   You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges.  Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another.  Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.  Dip in sour cream, or our favorite: Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch.

Freezer Instructions: Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Yields 12-16, when using 6″ tortillas, depending on how full you make them.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or diced

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped onion

1 T oil

1 cup peas

8 oz egg noodles

Chicken Broth (or water and bouillon)

1 can cream of chicken soup

Place chicken in large pan and cover with broth (or water and bouillon).  Boil until cooked through.  Strain over bowl to collect broth but filter out the yucky, goupy part of the chicken.  Set broth aside.  Put celery, onions and carrots in pan with a small amount of oil and saute 5 minutes or until color deepens and they begin to soften.  Add broth from cooking chicken and additional broth (so you have about 8-12 cups total).  Add chicken.  Mix in cream of chicken soup and cook over medium heat until it boils and flavors have time to mix.  (If you are freezing, now is the time!  Add noodles when you heat it up to serve it.) Add noodles and cook until soft. 

  

Smoked Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

2-3 lb Pork Roast

Sea Salt or Kosher Salt

3T liquid smoke

½ cup soy sauce

1 cup water

Rub outside of roast with salt.  Place in crock pot and pour soy sauce, water and liquid smoke on top.  Cook 6-8 hours.  Shred meat.  Optional:  serve with BBQ sauce

Bonnie’s Crockpot Chicken Fiesta

Recipe from Body for Life

Ingredients

4 chicken breast halves (1 lb)

1 20 oz jar Pace Picante Sauce

1 cup frozen corn

1 15 oz can Black Beans, drained

2 cloves minced garlic

2/3 c long rice

Spray crock pot.  Add all uncooked ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for 5-6 hours.  Shred chicken, mix well and cook an additional 15-30 minutes.  Serve in tortillas with cheese and sour cream.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup Ketchup

½ cup brown sugar

1 TBS worcestershire sauce

¼ cup vinegar

Cook chicken, pork roast or boneless pork ribs in crock pot.  Drain juices off meat.  Mix ingredients together and pour over meat.  Cook for an additional 30 minutes.  Serve plain or on buns for a sandwich.

Layered Enchiladas

Ingredients

10 tortillas

chicken, cooked and shredded (you can either cook a couple chicken breasts or use canned chicken)

2 cups sour cream

1 small can green chilies

1 can refried beans

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups cheese, grated

chopped olives (optional)

Mix soup, sour cream and green chilies together.  Place a large spoonful of mixture in bottom of 9x13 pan and spread evenly so the bottom of the pan is lightly coated.  Make a layer of tortillas in bottom of pan.  I've found the easiest way to do this is to cut the tortillas in half and place the straight edges along the edges of the pan.  I usually use 5-6 half pieces per layer.  Then spread refried beans and sprinkle cheese on top.  The beans can be easier to spread if they are warmed.  I usually just do it in a bowl in the microwave.  Next add 1/2 of your soup mixture.  Then sprinkle your chicken and more cheese.  Add another layer of tortillas.  Top with remaining soup mixture and lots of cheese. (if you're going to use olives, just sprinkle them on top)  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  This works as a freezer meal too.  Just prepare, cover in heavy tinfoil, and freeze.  Then when you bake it just make sure it's hot all the way through – your bake time will vary depending on how thawed it is before you bake.

Taco Soup

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef, browned

1 can corn

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1 pkg taco seasoning

Add all ingredients into crock pot.  Do not drain any of the cans.  Simmer in crock pot on high for 1 hour.  Serve with corn chips, cheese and sour cream.

Spaghetti Pie

This recipe fills a 9x13 pan and will feed 8-12 people.

Ingredients

12oz spaghetti noodles

4 eggs

3T butter

2T parsley flakes

1 1/2t salt (divided)

2/3c + 1/2c grated parmesan cheese

2c cottage cheese

1 1/2c shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

1t Italian seasoning

1 lb ground sausage

48 oz spaghetti sauce

Layer 1 - Noodles

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and return to pan.  Place butter in with noodles and stir until melted.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs and then stir in parsley flakes, 1t salt and 2/3c parmesan cheese.  Pour egg mixture over noodles - stirring fairly rapidly until all noodles are coated.  Layer in 9x13 pan. (no need to grease pan - the delicious butter helps with this!)

Layer 2 - Cheese Filling

Combine in bowl: cottage cheese, 1/2c mozzarella cheese, 1/2c parmesan cheese, 1/2t salt and Italian dressing.  Spread evenly over noodles in pan.

Layer 3 - Sauce

Brown sausage.  Pour sauce over sausage in pan and heat through.  Pour on top of cheese layer in pan.

(this is where you'd cover and stick it in the freezer if you are saving it for later)

Cover pan with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove cover, sprinkle 1c shredded mozzarella cheese on top and return to oven for 5-10 more minutes.  You want all edges to be bubbly and the all the cheese to be nicely melted.

Chicken Pillows

This recipe has evolved over time but I think I've settled into something we all LOVE!

Chicken Pillows:

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs cooked chicken breasts, shredded
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 1 box dry chicken or turkey stuffing mix
• 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Celery Salt
• 2 teaspoons Parsley
• 2 packages of refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1/2 - 1 cube butter or margerine
• 1 package chicken gravy mix
• 1 can cream of chicken soup

Directions: 

• Crush dry bread mixture out of stuffing box into fine granules.  This can either be done in a food processor or by placing it in a gallon ziploc bag and crushing it with a rolling pin.  Pour in pie tin or large-ish bowl and set aside.
• Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add in onion powder, celery salt and parsley.  Mix in shredded chicken.  
• SIDE NOTE:  do you know the trick about shredding chicken in a Kitchen Aid?  It's seriously amazing.  Just put the cooked chicken in your bowl and mix it with your paddle.  I'm not sure how well other types of mixers work because I just have a Kitchen Aid but I would assume they'll work as well.  Lemme tell ya ... this is a major time saver!
• Melt butter in small-medium sized bowl
• Open crescent roll package and unroll dough.  Spread each triangle out one-by-one with your fingers a little so you have a good-sized surface to plop your chicken mixture on.
  
• Place a heaping spoonful of chicken mixture in middle of triangle. Roll up and fold your ends over so your chicken mix is hiding in there pretty good.  You are making 16 rolls so keep that in mind with what size of scoops you do.
  
• Dip your pillow in butter and then roll in stuffing crumbs
• Place on cookie sheet to bake
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes
• Mix up chicken gravy on the stove then add in your cream of chicken soup and cook over medium heat until hot and mixed well.  Sometimes I add 1/2 cup or so of milk to get it to the right consistency.  This is your gravy to pour over your cooked chicken pillows!
• I usually just serve it with veggies but it's great with rice as well!
  
  

Chicken & Waffles

This is a super fun dinner and I especially love it because it's so versatile.  It's pretty simple to put together but there's also the option of eating it separate - which is what my kids preferred.  They didn't layer it all up.  (but if you ask me, they're missing out on a yummy flavor mixture!)

Here's how I did it:

Chicken & Waffles:

• Prepare waffles your usual way.  I used my Belgian Waffle maker so they were a little thicker.  
• Bake frozen breaded chicken strips.  I personally prefer Tyson brand but with this you can use whatever floats your boat.  You could probably even just grill some plain old chicken breasts and slice it up.
• Cook 1 lb of bacon
• Mix together:  1 cup mayo, 1/4 cup syrup, 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• To assemble:
• Spread mayo mixture on 1 waffle
• Layer chicken then bacon
• Spread may mixture on another waffle and place on top
• Drizzle syrup over the top

If you haven't noticed, about half of my recipes on here have bacon in them.  It's a problem.  It's such a boy food but I LOVE it!  Moderation, right?  I actually don't cook with it every meal - I just happen to be sharing the ones with the bacon because they are the ultra delish ones!  But try this one out and let me know what you think!