Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken

Chicken tacos, chicken enchiladas, chicken quesadillas, chicken rice bowls, chicken taco salads….any and all of these can be made using this simple recipe!

I honestly have no idea where the original recipe came from, but I saw it on Pinterest recently. I hate when you click on a pin and it doesn’t lead you to a link. Does that drive anyone else crazy? Just me? Ok. I digress….

I ate (read: devoured) this salad yesterday for dinner after a glorious 4 mile run.

Outside.

Because here in the south it was nearly 70F with beautiful blue skies..

This was the first outside run I’ve had in about a month and a half. I expected it to be miserable, but you know what? it wasn’t. It was wonderful, rejuvenating, and almost relaxing. All the weight lifting I’ve been doing in the gym has really helped my leg strength and speed increase without investing many miles. I do have to admit I had forgotten how much I love running outside though!

Ok, back to the recipe.

The next time you want to make something of the Mexican variety using chicken as your meat of choice, throw some chicken breasts (thawed or frozen!) in the crock pot with taco seasoning and a jar of salsa. Cook it on low for 5-6 hours (could be more like 6-8 hours, depending on your crock pot) or on high for 3-4 hours.

Here is another Pinterest tip I learned and use frequently: when your chicken is cooked thoroughly, put it in the stand of your kitchen aid mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn it on a low speed and it will shred your chicken breast PERFECTLY. I was never very successful at shredding chicken with two forks, and this saves me so much time and energy! Trust me, I was skeptical at first too, but it works like a charm. See this post for more detailed directions.

Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken 

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs chicken breasts
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• 1 packet of low sodium taco seasoning (or make your own, which is what I prefer. Recipe coming soon!)
• 1 16 oz. jar of salsa

1) Spray your crock pot with Pam. (This is a tip I learned this year from a coworker and it really does save you so much time on clean up!)

2) Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and taco seasoning.

3) Pour salsa to cover the chicken.

4) Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

5) Shred chicken with two forks or in the stand mixer. Add some of the salsa back to the chicken to make it moist and flavorful. Serve with your favorite Mexican dish!

Nutritional Information Per 1/2 cup Serving (Makes 8 servings if you use 2 lbs): 147 Calories; 1g Fat; 27g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Fiber; 66mg Cholesterol; 505mg Sodium.

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Baked Chicken with Feta and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Tangy sun dried tomatoes pair up beautifully with creamy, fluffy feta cheese. Pile them on top of a well-seasoned chicken breast and you have a lovely Greek influenced main course.

The best part?

This can be done in 30 minutes.

Week night meals in our house tend to be quick and easy; however, I do not believe in sacrificing flavor, health, or quality of the dish for the sake of time. This dish is a perfect example. Within minutes, it can be baking away in the oven, giving you time to prepare whatever vegetable and grain you prefer to serve alongside it. 25 minutes later, the timer beeps and the chicken gets topped with sun dried tomatoes and feta.

I’ve read several times on other blogs about sun dried tomatoes packed in water (not oil), but I have yet to find them. If you are like me and must use the oil-packed ones, just be sure to press the tomatoes in paper towels to remove the excess oil. Problem solved!

Baked Chicken with Feta and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-ounce) jar sun dried tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425F and lightly spray an oven proof dish.

2. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, and oregano. Place chicken breasts in prepared dish and top with minced garlic.

3. Bake for about 25 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, remove the tomatoes from the jar, carefully draining oil. To further remove excess oil, gently press tomatoes between paper towels. Discard towels. Finely chop the tomatoes.

5. Remove chicken breast from the oven and top with sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4. Nutrition Information for 1 Serving: Calories 305, Total Fat 16.0 g, Total Carbohydrate 8.7 g, Fiber 1.7 g, Sugars 5.1 g, Protein 31.8 g

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Why yes, these are every bit as good as they look.

I’m about to share with you one of the only dessert recipes I make more than once a year. Not only are these a crowd pleaser, but I can literally have them in the oven in 15 minutes. So, no clue what to make for that superbowl party that starts in just a couple hours? Problem solved.

Close friends and family know my favorite dessert is a warm, chewy, soft, chocolate chip cookie. The only downside to making them is:
a) most recipes produce several dozen…and with there being only 2 of us in this family I definitely do not need that many hanging around.

b) it takes FOREVER to scoop out that many cookies… and rotate baking pans… and clean them…

Well, really not an absurd amount of time. But, I DO love the fact that these eliminate all of those steps and the end result is in a dish that can be toted along to any picnic or party just the way it is.

See? All you have to do is cut it into bars, put a lid/foil on it, and take it with you. Quick, easy, delicious, and portable. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

2 1/8 cup All-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

12 T butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips (about 1 12 oz. bag)

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Melt butter in a large microwave safe mixing bowl.

2. Add sugars and mix until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

3. Dump in your dry ingredients except chips, and fold together with a spatula or wooden spoon, just until combined. Don’t overmix or the gluten will develop and make the cookies tough. Fold in the chocolate chips.

4. Spread in greased 9×13 pan. Bake until just set in the middle, 27-30 minutes.

Makes about 26 bars (depending on your size preference).

Disclaimer: NO, these are not healthy. Enjoy in moderation, share with others, and maybe run an extra mile or two tomorrow. 🙂

Nutritional information per bar: Calories: 218 Carbs: 30g Fat:11g Protein: 1g Sugar: 22 Sodium:  50 g

Recipe adapted from: http://worthhersalt.com/archives/198