A couple weeks back, during the cleanse, I was determined to find a meal to prepare in my crockpot. I had been so excited to get my crockpot from Beth for Christmas, but then got way too busy to use it and next thing I knew we were doing the cleanse and I was afraid I’d have to wait even longer to use it. Until I stumbled upon this recipe fro
“Slow-Cooker Mexican Chicken.” It fit all of the requirements of the cleanse and seemed really easy, so I decided to give it a try!
I’m a big fan of spice, so I decided to add a few things to this recipe including: 2 jalapenos, a bell pepper and an Anaheim chili.
I did all the chopping the night before so that I could just throw everything in the next day.
Needless to say the next morning I was entirely too giddy about cooking my first crockpot meal! I got to work and was telling my officemates about my recipe and the immediately told me that I was going to have a smoky, burned mess when I got home because I didn’t add any water to the crockpot. I was freaked out!
What if I got home and this:
was inedible? Fortunately that was not the case! Look how good it turned out:
I was so relieved and excited that not only did the meal turn out, but it was SO good! I had picked up a bag of Uncle Ben’s Instant Brown Rice and we had a cleanse approved meal.
This probably isn’t the most picture, but this is what it looked like on the plate:
If you clicked on the recipe link above, you’ll notice my chicken has a lot more “flair” to it, if you will (not sure why since you can’t really even see the additional peppers I added), than the picture from Tosca Reno’s post. Maybe my small jar of salsa was bigger than the one she used?
I have no made this meal 3 times and each time it has been a little different. Second time I didn’t add in all the extra peppers but I did add in some garlic powder and onion powder. The first two times I added in frozen diced onions because I already had them. And all three times, because I love it, I added cilantro.
You can definitely make this dish your own! A twitter follower told me they added avocado to it. I also saw a very similar recipe posted elsewhere that included added cheese. So be sure to have fun with it!
Do you use a slow cooker? What are your favorite recipes, post a link or share a recipe in the comment section I am anxious to try more crockpot receipes!
Yes ma’am (as you know)!
Here are a few of my favorites:
(Disclaimer: I tweak every recipe I use – usually by using much more seasoning than called for and little extras like peppers, veggies, etc.)
http://crockingirls.com/recipes/main-dish/chicken/salsa-verde-chicken.html
(I add onion and jalepenos while cooking, and cilantro at the end, and instead of adding any water, I use a little bit of chicken broth to thin the salsa verde out just a bit. I also season the chicken with cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and a bit of red pepper.)
http://ellysaysopa.com/2011/02/18/pork-tinga-tacos/
(I eyeball everything in this recipe, because I use MUCH more seasoning, etc. than she calls for. I also usually use about 3-4 lbs. of pork.)
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/spicy-dr-pepper-shredded-pork/
(She makes this in a Dutch oven, but it’s just as good in a crock pot, and easier. Watch your liquid – you won’t need as much, and you don’t want your crock pot to overflow. Also, a smaller cut of pork may be necessary, depending on the size of your pot.)
I forgot one! I made it up and don’t have a name for it, but it is GOOD.
Slice one onion and lay onion slices in the bottom of the crock pot.
Season 4-6 chicken breasts however you like (for this, I use Mrs. Dash garlic and herb, and add a little oregano, usually).
Lay the chicken breasts on top of the onion.
Slice up about 2-4 yellow (or crookneck) squash, depending on size, and about 4 potatoes or so, whichever kind you prefer.
Throw that in with the chicken, along with a small bag of baby carrots.
Pour a bottle of Italian dressing (doesn’t matter what kind) on top of the whole mess and cook on low for about 8 hours.
YUM.