Chicken Winner ... Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan (7 Points)

Sunday Supper Meal Ideas ... This meal is ALWAYS a hit with the family and it's on the skinny version!!

One of Rick's favorite meals is Chicken Parmesan.  So when I saw this version of Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan on Emily Bites, I just had to give it a try.  I'm all about my slow cooker since I'm running on low most days with time.  This came out perfect, the chicken was so tender and moist!  I through this together easily in the AM and it was ready to go when everyone came home.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 T flour
4 (4 oz each) raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 lb total)
2 egg whites
1 ½ cups marinara sauce
¾ cup 2% shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1.    Spread the bread crumbs across the bottom of a large dry skillet and bring over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring every minute or so to rotate which crumbs are on the bottom until the crumbs are browned.
2.    Combine the flour and chicken breasts in a large Ziploc bag and seal shut. Shake until the breasts are coated with the flour. 
3.    In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the 2 egg whites. Place the bread crumbs on a separate shallow bowl or plate. Dip one floured chicken breast in the egg whites, coating all sides, and then press it into the bread crumbs. Flip the breast to coat with crumbs and then place it into your slow cooker. Repeat with three remaining breasts, creating a single layer of breaded chicken breasts at the bottom of your slow cooker. 
4.    Spread the marinara sauce over the top of the chicken layer. Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours. About 15-20 minutes before the cooking is finished, add the cheese so it can melt. Serve and enjoy!

ALEXIS NOTES: I used Panko bread crumbs.  My chicken breast were HUGE so I used 3.  I used glutten free Quinoa noodles (no one knew the difference).

Give this a try I promise you'll love it!

Another super easy recipe!  Throw in crock-pot and forget about it!

What's on your menu tonight?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Pasta Palooza .... Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Happy Sunday!  I usually don't post on the weekends, but I had this typed up and ready to go so why not share a warm meal that maybe you want to make for this Sunday Supper!

So technically mine is not spaghetti, but I do like I always do when I like a recipe but don't have exactly what I need on hand.  I do the next best thing, fake it until you make it!  So I thought it would be fun to use the spiral noodles I had in the pantry.  The boys could have cared less it had chicken, cheese and noodles and it was put in front of them ... hehe!   I found this great recipe on Cooking with Kim.

Ingredients:

16 oz. dry spaghetti, cooked

1 lb. Velveeta Light (2%)Cheese

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken (I use white meat only)

1 can 98% FF cream of mushroom soup

1 can 98% FF cream of chicken soup

1 can of petite diced tomotoes

1 4oz. can of mild green chilies

4 oz can mushroom stems & pieces, drained

1/2 cup water

1 small onion, diced--or less, to taste

salt & pepper to taste

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in slowcooker and stir to mix well. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours. Stir before serving.

ALEXIS NOTES: I skip the spray and use a crockpot liner and call it good!  As you see I used spiral noddles instead of spaghetti. And yes I skipped the mushrooms, no one here likes them.  I also put in noddles in a 1/2 hour before serving, I HATE mushy noddles, AND no I don't precook them.

Another super easy recipe!  Throw in crock-pot and forget about it!

What's on your menu tonight?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Soups On ... Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup (WW 6 Points)

Next on our soup journey is from another GREAT weight watcher website.  I found this Chicken Enchilada Soup on Slender Kitchen.  It was another easy soup that I threw into the crockpot in the morning and let it be until it was time for dinner.  The boys love Mexican dishes and this was perfect combo of their favorite food and a soup which was easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken breast
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 red pepper diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 oz. can tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel)
• 1 14 oz. can red enchilada sauce
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 14 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup masa harina (or corn meal)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Toppings: chopped tortilla strips, chips, cilantro, onions, avocado, chopped jalapenos, cheese, Greek yogurt, light sour cream, etc.

Instructions

1. Add the chicken breast, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, garlic cloves, salt, onion, peppers, tomatoes with green chiles, enchilada sauce, chicken broth, and tomato paste to the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for four hours. Remove the chicken and shred with 2 forks. Return to soup and add the beans.
3. Mix the masa harina (corn meal) with 1/4-1/2 cup of water (more if needed) until smooth. Add to the soup and let cook for 30 more minutes. Top with 2 tbsp. cheese. You can also stir it in depending on your preference.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used a frozen chicken like I always do, right before I serve I put it in my mixer with the paddle and shred the chicken.  I used black beans that I made earlier and froze (that is why they look like a blog of black there).  I accidentally bought stewed tomatoes instead of diced so I put them in my ninja and diced them :).  

Enjoy you will love this one!

Something to keep your belly warm in this cold season.

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner ... Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken And Rice

So this is not a pretty looking meal but it sure was a pleaser for the boys!  I found this Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice recipe on Southern Plate.  It was a super simple recipe to make throw it in the crock pot and go!

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion, chopped (I use Vidalia)
1 -8 ounce box Zatarain's Yellow Rice Mix, cooked according to directions
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 - 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup (regular or fat free)1 -15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

Instructions

Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker. Scatter chopped onion over top. Spoon cream soup over top of that. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. A few minutes before serving, add in cooked rice, corn, and cheese. Stir to combine. Serve hot.

ALEXIS NOTES:   I put the chicken in frozen (because I'm lazy like that). I used the brown rice I buy in bulk instead of the Zatarain's rice.   I put my rice in my rice cooker and right before it was time to serve I added the rice so it didn't get soggy.

Another yummy and quick recipe for a busy night!

What's on your menu tonight?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner ... Crock-Pot Italian Chicken

This was another simple recipe I made for the boys, it was just for the 3 boys and I knew they wouldn't be wanting left overs so I halved a recipe for Crock-Pot Italian Chicken on The Girl Who Ate Everything.  I even threw the recipe in my mini crockpot to have less to clean!  When it was all done I threw some spaghetti noodles on a plate and topped with the shredded chicken.  It smelled so good I wished I could have just a small bite, but I resisted (stupid diet .. lol).  So it's not the prettiest meal but packed with flavor.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
1 packet dry Zesty Italian dressing (Regular is fine but I like zesty better. Sometimes I use a packet and a half.)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1-2 cans cream of chicken soup (depending how cream cheesy you want it)

Instructions

1. Place the chicken in a crockpot and sprinkle Italian dressing over it. Combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup in a small pot over low heat and pour over chicken. Cook on low in the crockpot for at least 4 hours. You can leave it in there all day. Once chicken is done you can leave the chicken breasts whole, cube it, or even shred it. I always cut the breasts into tenderloin size strips.
2. Once you have cut up the chicken, throw it back in the crockpot and stir into the sauce. If you feel the sauce is too thick you can thin it to your preferred consistency with a little milk. Serve over pasta or rice.

Alexis Notes: I halved the recipe and used my little crock pot.  I put the chicken once it was cooked in my mixer and used the paddle to shred the chicken and put it back in the sauce and mixed it all up.  I served of spaghetti noodles.

Give this one a try it was so simple and you can even put the frozen chicken in and let it go!   You know me anything that makes my life easier is a winner!!  This will be one I make when I can eat real food again :).

What's on your menu tonight?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner ... Slow Cooker Chicken Taco's

We had our dinner friends over the other week and I knew taco's are always a big hit with all the boys (her one and my two).  I bought Chicken on sale so we had a week of chicken recipes.  I didn't want to do taco's with ground beef, so I wanted to go with chicken.  BUT I didn't want it to be just plain chicken so I found a easy 3 ingredient recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Taco's on the Six Sister's Stuff. Looking for a way to spice up Taco night well you found it!

Ingredients:
1 envelope taco seasoning (I used reduced sodium seasoning and it was still delicious)
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (mine were frozen)
1 (16 oz) jar of your favorite salsa

Directions:
Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray for easy clean-up. Place chicken in the bottom, pour salsa on top, and sprinkle with taco seasoning. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork.

ALEXIS NOTES: I buy taco seasoning in the bulk section at winco and store in my plastic spice bottles.  I again use the mixer to shred the chicken!

Hope you give this a try it I swear took less then 5 minutes to put it in the crockpot, then before time to serve I put the cooked chicken in my mixer with the paddle and shredded the chicken and done!

What's on your Menu Tonight?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Before I started this new diet I could eat protein and some veggies.  One of the veggies on the ok list was Zucchini.  (Now this new diet is no veggies - If it moves I can it eat ... lol.  It's by a doc so don't worry).  So back to this yummy dish, I found it on my favorite website Skinny Taste for Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats.   Now I loved this one, the boys were on the fence post, they liked the insides but they couldn't get beyond the zucchini's ... lol.  And Rick well let's just say as soon as I said zucchini he decided he was not having dinner.  Hey I loved it which made for left overs for me!

Ingredients:

For the enchilada sauce:

• olive oil spray  (I used my Misto)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 or 2 tbsp chipotle chile in adobo sauce, more if you like it spicy
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2/3 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
• kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the zucchini boats:

• 4 (about 32 oz total) medium zucchini
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 8 oz cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 3 tbsp water or fat free chicken broth
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Topping:

• 3/4 cup reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar
• chopped scallions and cilantro for garnish

Directions:

For the enchilada sauce: In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Addchipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

For the Zucchini Boats: Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4" thick. Chop the scooped out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside.

Drop the zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute; remove from water.

In a large saute pan, heat oil and add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook on medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add chopped zucchini and cilantro; season with salt and pepper and cook about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, water, and tomato paste and cook a few more minutes, thenadd in chicken; mix and cook 3 more minutes.

Place 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large (or 2 small) baking dish, and place zucchini halves cut side up. Using a spoon, fill each hollowed zucchini with 1/3 cup chicken mixture, pressing firmly.

Top each with 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce, and 1 1/2 tablespoons each of shredded cheese. 

Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through. 

Top with scallions and cilantro for garnish and serve with low fat sour cream if desired.

Now her's turned out so much more prettier then mine.  I put the cheese on half of it (since I couldn't have cheese on my diet) so it made it look not as pretty.

Hope you enjoy!  Have a wonderful day!

What is on your menu tonight?

Crock Pot Beer Chicken (WW 3 Points)

I was looking for an easy chicken recipe I could throw into the crock pot and have ready for dinner.  Working from home everyone thinks you should have all this free time.  LOL they would be so wrong I'm usually at my keyboard none stop and don't have a free moment, so easy meals always help me out.  This chicken dish was very moist, it almost fell apart when I took from the crock pot to the plate.

I just happen to have one bottle of beer left from when my dad was here so I used it (I know it's the only way beer is used in my house if I cook with it).  This was a simple recipe that was extremely tasty.  I found this recipe on one of my favorite weight watcher sites Laaloosh for Crock Pot Beer Chicken.  I made this one since I'm still on a high protein, low carb and low sugar diet so I can eat the chicken and then add things for the boys like the au gratin potatoes they had.

Ingredients

• 2lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 bottle or can of your favorite beer
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in the crock pot, and cook on high for 4-5 hrs, or low for 6-8 hrs.
2. Feel free to change out the spices and herbs and use whatever you’d like.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 6 hour(s)

Entire recipe makes 8 servings
Serving size is 1 chicken breast
Each serving = 3 Points +

PER SERVING: 143 calories; 3g fat; 1.5g carbohydrates; 23g protein; 0g fiber

Hope you have a wonderful day and maybe give this a try!

Green Chili Chicken Burrito's

Just a quick post, this cough has now headed to my head and I think I may die soon but I have a full day of work to do.  The ONLY bad thing about working from home I'm a contractor so no sick days for this girl, one pay check coming in means no days off or Bills don't get paid.  Rick requested I make this last night for his friend and him.  NOW I was not feeling well so the picture was not all pretty like I normally would make it so no comments about how it looks please :).  According to him and his friend it was the BOMB.  I've posted this recipe about 2 years ago but today I made it a little different and it was a hit (yes I made it the lazy way last night and mixed everything together).

Ingredients:

4 or 5 Chicken Breast

1 can of Beer

1 can of Cream of Mushroom

1 LARGE can of green enchilada sauce

1 can of green chillies

1 LARGE container of Sour Cream

2 Cups of Cheddar Cheese

6 or 8 Tortilla

Preheat oven to 350. On stove cook the chicken in the can of beer, until cooked threw. In a large bowl add the Cream of Mushroom, Green Enchilada Sauce, Green Chillies, Sour Cream and Cheese. I call this the "goop" mix it well and set aside while chicken cooks. When chicken done you can cut into strips or I like to shred it's easier :). Lay out a tortilla, add a large scoop of the "goop" and top with chicken. Most days I roll nicely like and tuck in the edges or if in a hurry like this night I just roll them up. The true tuck insides and roll is the best easier to serve. Depending on how much chicken you use will determine the amount of tortilla's you need to use. Once all wrapped up use the last of the goop to top and put in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes, until brown and the cheese in the goop is melted. Cool and serve.

**Alexis's LAZY version mix the goop with the chicken.  Add the chicken goop to the Tortilla, roll up and put in a glass dish.  I then had the extra chicken goop that I added to the top of the tortilla and added another cup of cheddar cheese. **

Another Wonton Recipe!! Hawaiian BBQ "Cupcakes"

Yes it's no secret by now that I'm in love with Wonton wrappers.  They are low in fat and perfect for weight watcher recipes and easy meals that are portion controlled (that is if you don't pop as many as you can in your mouth .. yes I have had this problem in the past).  

I found yet another amazing recipe on my favorite weight watch gal's site Emily Bites for Hawaiian BBQ "Cupcakes".  These were a hit at a party a while back and I recommend them for heck just about any night!  Easy to make and the kids even like them with the chicken and pineapple how could you go wrong?

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped up small or shredded
½ cup chopped fresh pineapple (if you can’t find fresh you can use canned. Just drain it and don’t buy anything in syrup)
4 T spicy barbecue sauce
1 T chopped scallions (plus more for garnish, if desired)
16 wonton wrappers (typically found in the produce section)
4 oz (1 cup) reduced fat 2% shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1.    Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 8 cups in a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2.    In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, pineapple, scallions and barbecue sauce. Stir to combine until fully coated.
3.    Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the eight sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Using about half of the chicken mixture, spoon evenly into the wonton wrappers. Sprinkle about half the cheddar cheese evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.
4.    Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

Yields 8 “cupcakes.” WW P+:  4 per cupcake

Lex Notes: I put my chicken in my crockpot and cooked it then used the mixer to shred my chicken (mental note don't let it spin to long it will go from shredded to mush).  I used canned because that what I had on hand.  I used our favorite BBQ sauce Sweet Baby Ray's.  I also used my favorite low fat cheese in the mexican blend. I also doubled the recipe since we had a good amount of people at the party.

Enjoy, I promise every bite will be amazing!

Tuesday’s Friends–Chicken Parm Subs with handmade bun

The other week I made a really good sandwich for our friends.  Of course I came across our meal idea on Pinterest.  This Chicken Parmesan Sub was found on one of my favorite sites Eating Well.  I search Pinterest for their recipes all the time since they are low fat and family pleasing.

The recipe called for whole wheat sandwich rolls, but you know me I rather make my own when I can.  So I found this bread machine roll recipe on all recipes which is another good source.

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour (I used whole wheat)
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup dry milk powder
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Place the bread flour, sugar, salt, milk powder, water, butter, and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set on Dough cycle; press Start.
2. Remove risen dough from the machine, deflate, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces, and form into rounds. Place the rounds on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. In a small bowl, mix together the egg white and 2 tablespoons water; brush lightly onto the rolls. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.

Then on to the chicken and making of the subs.  This was pretty easy and man they sure would yummy!

Chicken Parmesan Sub

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts cut into 4 portions or 4 small breasts), (2 large breasts cut into 4 portions or 4 small breasts)
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 6-ounce bags baby spinach
• 1 cup marinara sauce, preferably low-sodium (see Tip)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 4 soft whole-wheat sandwich rolls, toasted

PREPARATION

1. Position oven rack in top position; preheat broiler.
2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Place chicken between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy saucepan until the chicken is an even 1/4-inch thickness. Dip the chicken in the flour mixture and turn to coat.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
4. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add half the chicken and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and chicken; transfer to the baking sheet.
5. Top each piece of chicken with the wilted spinach, marinara sauce and Parmesan. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve on rolls.

(I just baked my chicken then added the spinach and cheese in the oven, I’m about the easy version.  So I skipped the putting the chicken in the pan on the stove top).

So there you have it an easy meal and something new then just the regular chicken dinner!  Happy Monday have a great day!